Updated: Father Demands Review Of Cadet’s Withdrawal From Nigerian Defence Academy
The father of Muhammad Ibrahim Aminu is demanding for justice and a review of his son’s withdrawal from the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna, after his passing out parade last year.
Muhammad had completed his four-year officer training at the NDA and was gearing up to proceed to the Nigerian Naval College when he was charged by the academy for misconduct and withdrawn alongside other cadets.
The alleged misconduct occurred during a ceremony organised on October 5, 2019, by Muhammad’s father to celebrate the combined passing out parade (POP) of 66 regular course Army, 67 regular course Navy, and Air Force.
A source familiar with the rules of the academy informed HumAngle that Muhammad a member of regular course 67 Navy was still under the supervision and rules of the institution when he was charged and subsequently withdrawn.
The source added that Muhammad’s situation was complicated after the academy’s commandant ordered a review of the dossier of cadets facing disciplinary actions. Cadets with multiple pre-existing infractions and charges were later withdrawn.
According to Mr Aminu, several cadets attended the ceremony he organised for his son after the POP but only a few were withdrawn. He alleged that the dismissal was related to a personal grudge one of the officers held against him.
“He has been reporting it to me, so I asked him to prepare and record evidence,” the father told journalists in an interview.
“He was recording it with his phone when they confiscated and destroyed it. He was illegally detained for six days in a guardroom, which is against the military act and the federal constitution.”
He said he sent a petition to the NDA but no action was taken. He then took the matter to the National Assembly for further action but the investigation was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr Aminu added that he heard other cadets had returned to the college but his son had still not been recalled. He informed HumAngle that the National Assembly is set to discuss the issue later in September.
Additional reporting by Murtala Abdullahi
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You do this because you are connected, my younger brother was in terma3 when he was rusticated, it was devastating to my dad,he has always loved the military, he said a certain officer swore with his life he wouldn’t pass out and made sure he left the school,my dad was not highly connected my bother got into N.D.A because he was highly brilliant…he was devastated for years but thank God for today,since then I lost all respect for Nigerian military and N.D.A.
It’s not just him there are about 53 cadets who where withdrawn illegally knowing the situation of nigeria insecurity… Something should be done or nigeria is a failed nation