Participants from 20 Countries Graduate from National Defence College
Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
The National Defence College (NDC), yesterday, graduated 113 participants from 20 countries including members of the Armed Forces, Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
The graduands are from Venezuela, Zambia, Spain and Botswana. Others are Cuba, Zimbabwe, South Korea, Zambia, Argentina, Niger, Sri Lanka, and Ethiopia among others.
Speaking at the event, Commandant of the College, Rear Admiral Olumuyiwa Olotu, said the participants drawn from the Armed Forces include 39 Nigerian Army officers, 22 Nigerian Navy officers and five Nigerian Air Force officers.
He said others included six police officers, and 20 personnel from various MDAs and paramilitary organisations.
The commandant said the graduation ceremony was organised to honour those, who had diligently participated in various strategic paper writing exercises and field trips over the last 11 months.
“The total number of participants graduating today, as we have been told, is 113 persons drawn from the Armed Forces of Nigeria, selected strategic ministries, departments and agencies of the Government of Nigeria, as well as from 20 friendly countries.
“Composition of the participants includes 39 Nigerian Army officers, 22 Nigerian Navy officers, five Nigerian Air Force officers, six Nigerian Police Force officers, and 20 officers from various ministries, departments, agencies and paramilitary organizations, as well as 21 officers from foreign countries”, he said.
“These ladies and gentlemen have diligently participated in various strategic paper writing exercises and few trips over the last 11 months, and this is the day to honour them accordingly,” he said.
Rear Admiral Olotu said the college was established on June 16, 1992 as the National War College with the mission to develop future leaders, sufficiently equipped to analyse issues as well as provide strategic leadership among others.
He asserted that the college community had provided quality academic and administrative support throughout the duration of the course.
He said Module 9 of the College Course Curriculum was dedicated to the higher management of defence package involving exercises that simulate real life scenarios and review of national defence and security policies.
“Remarkably, the exercises for this year were focused on some of the most daunting security challenges facing Nigeria and through these exercises the college has equipped the participants with adequate knowledge and skills necessary to face the current volatile and complex environment.
“Participants have also received specific training in strategic decision making, future strategic perspectives, net analysis and policy implementation.
“It is therefore envisaged that this set of participants will contribute to covering implementable solutions to current and future national, regional and indeed global challenges,” he said.
