Army cadets allege unlawful, unjustifiable withdrawal from NDA

Some officer cadets, who were enlisted in the recent Direct Short Service Commission (DSSC) and Short Service Combatant (SSC) Course 43 of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), have accused the authorities of an alleged unlawful and unjustifiable withdrawal from the NDA, after undergoing the mandatory training.

 Narrating their ordeals to Peoples Daily in Abuja, one of the affected officer cadets, who declined to disclose his name said the last SSC Course 43 members that just past out of the NDA had 10 cadets ‘unlawfully’ withdrawn after about five months into the training, even as 16 others were also withdrawn a night before their passing out on the 11th of September 2015.

 According to him, the authorities claimed that they didn’t pass map reading.

 They pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari and the military authorities to thoroughly investigate the matter with a view to ascertaining the true position of things and reabsorb them into the army, as according to them, their ‘unlawful withdrawal’ is a time bomb really waiting to explode.

 “The Nigerian Army published application for Direct Short Service Commission (DSSC) and Short Service Combatant (SSC) Course 43 by mid 2014 and so many willing Nigerians applied, and names of successful candidates for screening for each state were published and were eventually screened at both Jaji for the DSSC and NDA for the SSC candidates respectively.

 “On our arrival at the NDA, we were also screened for Ebola and the first point of screening was the credential screening for each candidate. The next screening was comprehensive as it entails and covers the whole test to ascertain the well being of each candidate and those found wanting in any area were sent packing at each stages of the screening. The screening includes but not limited to ECG, Hepatitis, full blood test, eye test, weight, height, flat foot, x-ray, blood pressure, scan, urine test, heart rate and any other medical test to ascertain the wellness of each candidate.

 “After the medical, comes the 3.2km race in 18 minutes, then obstacle crossing. It is after this rigorous screening exercise that those that passed will wait and be hopeful for the final enlistment into the Nigerian Army. The final names were published and those that passed were to resume at the NDA by September 2014 which was later postponed to January 3rd, 2015.

  “Few weeks into the training we were tested and those that tested positive to drugs were withdrawn. Subsequently, we noticed this propaganda that some cadets were having high blood pressure and others were said to be having color vision problem but these same cadets were tested and passed through the screening.

 “Four to Five months into the training when these cadets have gone for camp initial, drill square test, oath taking ceremony, novices boxing and even attended bush camps coupled with being grounded in weapon training and handling, tactics, map reading and other courses making up to 23, there were withdrawn that they were medically unfit, without any fair hearing and with hatred, malice and injustice in a conspiracy and lie oriented medical report by both the CO Medical And Co Ashanti Battalion. The commandant and his deputy never took time to grant the cadets fair hearing and just worked on the report from the Medical CO.

 “On leaving the academy, the cadets went to do a thorough check up and discovered nothing was wrong with them all effort to fight for their rights and get someone to lis  ten to their cries proved abortive as it is said that that is the normal trend.

 “This war on insurgency, terrorism, kidnapping and more will not stop if the Nigerian Army through the Nigerian Defence Academy keeps training officers for 5 to 9 months and unlawfully withdraw them. These cadets have been well trained on weapon training, tactics, and map reading just to mention a few.  They are equipped and have mastered and known in and out of the military operations. I indeed fear the effect on the country”, he stated.

 When contacted, the Adjutant Ashanti Battalion, Capt. Lezuya, declined comment on the matter, saying he was no longer the Adjutant as he has been moved to Jaji. He, however, directed our correspondent to speak to the NDA authorities for further enquiries.

 When our correspondent contacted the NDA, the spokesperson of the Academy was said to be away on a seminar, but a source at the institution who will not want his name on print said the cadets withdrawn from the institution must have breached rules and regulations of the Academy, adding that even an hour before the Passing Out Parade, a cadet can still be withdrawn.

There is another thinking that the withdrawal might not be unconnected with the recent presidential directive that the institution must ensure that only gallant officers were commissioned into the military.

Investigation further revealed that all cases of withdrawal pass through the Academy disciplinary board headed by deputy commandant and two members of the selection board.