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By Tracy Moses
The Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) has opposed a proposed amendment to its governing law that would grant automatic admission to graduates of military secondary schools, warning that the move could undermine merit-based selection, offend the constitutional principle of federal character and expose the admission process to legal challenges.
The academy’s position was presented on Tuesday by the Director of Military Training, Brigadier General Taiye Ahmed, during the second day of a two-day public hearing organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Defence.
The hearing examined four defence-related bills, including a Bill for an Act to Amend the Nigerian Defence Academy Act, 2024 and for Related Matters (HB.1709), which seeks to guarantee admission into the NDA for successful graduates of designated military secondary schools.
Ahmed explained that the proposed legislation seeks to amend Section 8(2) of the Second Schedule to the NDA Act by introducing what proponents describe as an “automatic admission, right of first refusal” for graduates of military schools.
According to him, the amendment provides that: “The board shall offer automatic admission for successful graduates from Nigerian military schools.”
He said the proposal was informed by concerns that graduates of military schools, owing to their military background and training, could become vulnerable to recruitment by criminal or violent groups if they are not absorbed into military institutions.
According to Ahmed, the justification advanced by proponents is “to prevent the graduates of the schools from being handy tools in the hands of non state violent actors because of the graduate military background.”
The bill also seeks to define key terms within the Act, including “The Board” as the Board of the Nigerian Defence Academy, “Applicant” as candidates applying for admission into the academy, and “Nigerian Military Schools” as military secondary schools that provide both academic and military training.
The schools listed under the proposed definition include the Nigerian Military School, Zaria; Air Force Military School; Air Force Girls Military School; and the Nigerian Navy Military School.
While acknowledging the intention behind the proposal, Ahmed said the academy does not support the amendment in its present form.
“However it was observed that if the amendment is passed as phrased,it has the potential of creating statutory bottlenecks on the constitutional principle of federal character. The NDA operates on this principle to ensure national unity and equal representation across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory FCT,” he said.
He argued that granting preferential admission to graduates of a select group of schools could create inequities in a system designed to ensure broad national representation.
Ahmed further warned that the proposal could face constitutional and legal scrutiny because it may be viewed as discriminatory against other qualified Nigerians seeking admission into the academy.
“Moreover, the proposed amendment could face legal challenges for being discriminatory against applicants who did not attend the military school as it could be perceived as disenfranchising them for admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy,” he stated.
The NDA official maintained that graduates of military secondary schools already enjoy equal access to the academy under the current admission framework and are not excluded from the commissioning process.
“The graduates of military schools currently have equal opportunity to seek admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy to be commissioned as regular combatant officers by competing with other interested Nigerians.
“The process has consistently ensured that the NDA selects the best candidates irrespective of the secondary school they attended.”
Ahmed noted that military school graduates also have multiple pathways into military service beyond direct admission into the NDA.
“Moreover graduates of the military schools have the opportunity for immediate enlistment as soldiers, especially the Nigerian Military School, Zaria upon graduation from military secondary schools and thereafter proceed to higher military institutions through military sponsorship. Upon graduation from higher institutions these graduates could apply to be commissioned as officers through the short service commission or the direct short service commission when advertised by any of the three services of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.”
He added that personnel who are unable to secure commissions through those channels can still pursue officer commissions later through the executive commission route.
“Furthermore those unable to secure admission through the short service commission or the direct short service commission could apply for the executive commission later in their career.”
Ahmed stressed that admission into the NDA remains one of the most competitive selection processes in the country, combining academic performance with physical, medical and psychological assessments.
“It is pertinent to state that the NDA has a very strict admission criteria including minimum JAMB score as well as very high standard physical, psychological and medical standard,” he said.
He disclosed that available records show that civilian applicants often outperform some graduates of military secondary schools during the selection process, making it necessary to preserve a merit-driven admission system.
“Available record in the Armed Forces show that civilian candidates could be better than some military school graduates based on their earlier mentioned criteria to avoid disenfranchising excellent candidates that did not have the opportunity of attending military schools from admission into NDA.”
Ahmed therefore urged lawmakers to retain the existing framework.
“The NDA is of the opinion that the current admission process into the NDA should be maintained.”
Beyond the proposed amendment to the NDA Act, the committee also considered bills seeking to establish a Joint Doctrine and Warfare Centre to strengthen operational coordination among the armed services, establish an Armed Forces Medical College in Abuja, and transform the National Defence College of Nigeria into a postgraduate degree-awarding institution and centre for strategic research and professional military education.
Speaking at the conclusion of the hearing, Chairman of the House Committee on Defence, Hon. Babajimi Benson, commended stakeholders for their participation and contributions to the legislative process.
“This is the peoples Parliament. The contributions have been worthwhile,” Benson said.
The public hearing forms part of the House of Representatives’ ongoing efforts to review key defence-sector legislation aimed at enhancing military effectiveness, professional education and institutional development within Nigeria’s security architecture.