65 female cadets battle ready to counter insurgency – NDA boss assures

By Kingsley Chukwuka

Among the 295 cadets participating in the on going Short Service Combatant Course 47 in the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), 65 are females being equipped regimentally to join the fight against banditry, terrorism and insurgency that has hitherto become a new normal in the country.

The females just like their men counterparts are trained on “Assult Courses” being a prerequisite for Army Cadets of Short Service Course.

Speaking to newsmen Tuesday, at the Jos Shere Hills in Plateau State, the NDA Commandant, Maj. Gen. Ibrahim Manu Yusuf, said he is impressed with the level of assimilation from the cadets, adding that the new crops of Army that will join the Nigeria Armed Forces have received all the necessary training thus far.

According to Him: “The Exercise is an important military training activity used in ascertaining the preparedness of the Army cadets for commissioning as Officers into the Nigerian Armed Forces.

“It is designed to test the cadets leadership skills, physical fitness, as well as command and control abilities, among other military competencies”, he said.

However the training which is the final outdoor exercise for the cadets, tagged “Exercise Camp Highland”, is also designed to build a character in them.

Our correspondent reports that some of the courses drilled into the cadets as they sojourn in Shere Hills, are Drum, Balancing log, crossing log, map reading, Tyre ring, pyramids, swing and ragain, hond transverse, spring jump, stepping, run on beach, barb wire , 12 feet wall among others.

Similarly, the Unit Coordinator, Citizenship and Leadership Training Center, Shere Hills, Mr. Abdulmumuni Maimako, said the skills garnered will help the young cadet’s physical and mental alertness actively agile to confront any challenges.

Responding, one of the participants who spoke to journalists, Cadet Aliyu Aliyu, said they joined course 47 as civilians but today they are fully ready and well equipped to defend their fatherland.