In the early hours of Tuesday, August 24, 2021, the one and only Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) confirmed the invasion by gunmen of their staff quarters where two officers were killed, one abducted and some were injured, and that they were all senior commissioned officers ranging from the rank of lieutenant upward.
There’s an adage in Hausa, when something happens to someone regarded as untouchable, that “Gobara daga kogi maganin ki Allah”. This means that “a blaze from the sea only God Almighty can overcome it”. The literary translation of this proverb is, if a flame can be candles from the sea and continues burning to the dried land, despite the irresistibility of water that flame possesses, so the artificial method wouldn’t serve.
Before the occurrence of this ignominious invasion, if I was asked “where is the most secure and comfortable place in this country” I will answer this creditably with the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), but today I have lost hope on this illusion of mine.
The most contending fact beyond the mind of every reasoning person is, whether he may underrate the security system of the almighty NDA or to overrate the action of the notorious terrorists? But none can be sanely agreed!
An institution that annually produces a thousands of senior commissioned officers (second lieutenants and lieutenants) to three powerful arms of the armed forces, namely, the Nigerian Army, Navy and Air Force, could be so invaded and terrorised as witnessed is shocking, to say the least.
Has the security system of this country so deteriorated that even the war training center, the almighty NDA, is no longer secure and safe? Or is there a hidden conspiracy beyond the attack?
Recently, the Nigerian military bagged a recognition from Global Fire Power (GPF), ranking of 35 out 140, which means that it’s above 105 countries including the United States of America.
The criteria that played a better role in the recognition are Manpower, Airpower, Land Forces, Naval Forces, Geography, Natural Resources, Logistics and Financial Resources.
Therefore, we can bodly say that today, this is a good day for the military institutions to prove that, they’re on merit not a flattery rating.
God protect Nigeria!God protect our soldiers!!God protect the almighty NDA!!!
Ali Tijjani Hassan, Potiskum, Yobe state[email protected]
