By Abdul Lauya
In a rousing keynote address that anchored the Golden Jubilee celebration of the 18th Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has proposed a bold new vision for integrating retired military personnel into Nigeria’s contemporary security structure.
The event, held at the Army Headquarters Command Officers Mess, Asokoro, Abuja, was graced by prominent military veterans, government officials, and traditional leaders.
Delivering a lecture titled “Veterans As Significant National Assets,” Ribadu unveiled the proposed National Veterans Security Initiative, a strategic framework designed to deploy the experience and patriotism of ex-service members in intelligence gathering, civil-military cooperation, and community-level threat detection.
“Military service does not end in active duty, in fact, it begins anew in retirement,” Ribadu declared, underscoring the critical, yet underutilized role veterans can play in enhancing national security resilience.
Using the platform to reflect on the state of national security since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assumed office two years ago, Ribadu outlined key inherited challenges: the Boko Haram insurgency, which has claimed over 35,000 lives; rampant banditry in the North West, responsible for over 12,000 deaths and mass displacement; separatist agitation in the South East; deadly herder-farmer conflicts in the North Central region; as well as porous borders and recurring jailbreaks.
In a cautiously optimistic tone, Ribadu highlighted major security gains under the current administration. These include the recovery of over 11,000 weapons, the surrender of more than 5,000 insurgents through non-kinetic means, the rescue of 11,000 hostages, and the neutralization of over 50,000 terrorists and criminal commanders.
Notably, oil production has rebounded to 1.8 million barrels per day, and for the first time in three decades, oil exploitation is set to resume in Ogoniland, Rivers State.
He proposed the establishment of a Veterans Advisory Council, to formalize the participation of retired officers in strategic advisory roles and grassroots intelligence operations.
Minister of State for Defence, Bello Muhammed Matawalle, lauded the initiative and urged NDA alumni across generations to emulate the Course 18 cohort in upholding the ideals of patriotism and service.
The Chairman of the occasion, Major General Ike Nwachukwu (Rtd), who served as the Adjutant and Commander of Course 18 in 1975, praised the cohort’s enduring loyalty and contributions to the nation. He cited the example of Lt General Azubuike Ihejirika (Rtd), a Course 18 member and Nigeria’s 22nd Chief of Army Staff, who spearheaded crucial counterinsurgency operations and expanded military formations nationwide between 2010 and 2014.
In his remarks, Ihejirika advocated for compulsory military training for all Nigerians to instill a culture of patriotism, discipline, and national unity.
Royal Father of the Day and Supreme Islamic Leader, His Eminence Alhaji (Brig Gen Rtd) Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR, mni, Sultan of Sokoto, called for sustained national devotion, urging veterans to lead in inspiring civic responsibility.
Air Commodore Femi Oguntuyi (Rtd), Chairman of NDA Course 18 Alumni Association, noted in his welcome address that only 47 of the 149 cadets who began training on June 30, 1975, are still alive. He paid special tribute to Sa’ad Abubakar and Ihejirika for their historic accomplishments, describing them as pillars of the group’s enduring legacy.
Among the dignitaries present were Chief of Defence Staff Gen Christopher Musa, Representives of Service Chiefs, and the Chairman National Council of Nigerian Legion, Ms. Grace Morenike Henry.
The 50th anniversary gathering was not just a reunion, it was a strategic call to action: to recognize veterans not merely as former warriors, but as vital national assets in the ongoing fight to secure Nigeria’s future.
