President Bola Tinubu has charged newly commissioned officers of the Nigerian Armed Forces to uphold the Constitution, protect Nigerians, and safeguard the nation’s economy.
The President gave the charge on Saturday in Kaduna through the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr. Tajudeen Abbas, who represented him at the combined passing-out parade of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA). The event featured cadets of the 73 Regular Course (Army, Navy, and Air Force), Short Service Course 49 (Army), Direct Short Service Course 34 (Air Force), and Branch Commission Course 3 (Air Force).
Commending the NDA Commandant and his leadership team, Tinubu praised the institution for transforming the cadets into battle-ready, intellectually equipped, and morally grounded leaders. He noted that since its establishment in 1964, the Academy has continually evolved to address emerging security threats by blending military training with academic education and character development.
According to the President, the NDA has modernized its approach by enhancing counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency training while rapidly integrating technology into research and military drills. He highlighted recent advancements from the Academy’s Centre for Innovation and Creativity, which include precision-guided munitions, remotely operated weapon systems, and multipurpose mobile robots.
He further noted the physical expansion of classrooms, quarters, firing ranges, and simulation centers to better adapt to modern warfare. Tinubu urged the Academy to sustain this momentum by deepening collaboration with tri-service training institutions, defence industries, and academic bodies.
On the international stage, Tinubu pointed to the NDA’s expanding global and regional footprint. He highlighted that Nigerian cadets are currently training in the United Kingdom, United States, Brazil, and France, while invitations to competitive military events in the U.S., Brazil, and China reflect growing international recognition of the Academy’s standards. Furthermore, the NDA continues to serve as a regional hub by training cadets from several African nations, including Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Congo Brazzaville, Gambia, Guinea, Liberia, Niger, Sierra Leone, and Uganda.
Addressing national security, the President reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to building a secure, stable, and prosperous nation using all elements of national power. He stressed that military force alone cannot resolve insecurity, identifying poverty, unemployment, poor education, and social disintegration as underlying drivers of conflict. Consequently, the administration is pairing security operations with economic initiatives focused on job creation, macroeconomic stability, human capital development, and social protection.
On foreign policy, Tinubu reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to democracy, regional stability, and economic integration through the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and other regional bodies. He stated that while Nigeria remains opposed to unconstitutional changes of government, it will not abandon its neighbors in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso.
Directing his final words to the graduating officers, Tinubu urged them to remain disciplined, honorable, professional, and dedicated to selfless service as they prepare to confront threats driven by violence and propaganda.
“Your duty is to uphold the Constitution, safeguard our economy, and protect our people,” Tinubu declared.
He concluded by expressing appreciation to the families of the officers for their emotional, moral, and material support throughout the rigorous training, congratulating both the graduates and the Academy on a successful parade.
