Oronsaye report: Army varsity/NDA merger counterproductive — Borno citizens

The Borno State Concerned Citizens have written to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the National Assembly, expressing their concerns about the proposed merger of the Nigerian Army University Biu (NAUB) with the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in Kaduna.

The letter, sent through the committee responsible for implementing the Oronsaye report, which recommended the merger of certain federal agencies, was signed by Alhaji Muhammad Ibrahim (Dan Masanin Biu).

The group appealed to the committee to reconsider the merger proposal and allow each institution to fulfil its distinct role in the nation’s interest.

They emphasized that merging NAUB and NDA could undermine the integrity of the military training and the defence system.

According to the group, NAUB comprises 75% civilians and 25% military personnel, with a diverse staff including both military and civilian intellectuals. Its programmes are designed to enhance the Nigerian Army and the nation through advanced science and technology applications.

On the other hand, the NDA is specifically focused on training officers for the Nigerian Army, Navy and Air Force.

The group argued that mixing civilians from NAUB with the NDA would not be beneficial and could be counterproductive.

Moreover, they noted that the merger proposal was not part of the original Oronsaye report or its review, making it inappropriate to include these institutions in the list of agencies to be streamlined or merged.

The Borno State Concerned Citizens urged careful consideration and preservation of the distinct roles and functions of NAUB and NDA for the benefit of national security and military training.