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You Must Be Physically and Mentally Fit, TRADOC Commander Tells Army Cadets

Published

4 years ago

January 30, 2022

Eric

The Commander, Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), Nigerian Army, Major General SO Olabanji, has charged cadets of Short Service Course 47 (Army) to, upon Passing Out of the Academy and subsequent commissioning as Officers in the Nigerian Army, to always engage themselves in activities that would make them stay physically and mentally fit for the rigorous task of defending the territorial integrity of the nation and subduing all threats to national security.

Major General Olabanji gave the charge to the cadets at the Nigerian Army Table Hill, Kachia, during the Battle Inoculation and Firepower Demonstration phase of Exercise Camp Highland, conducted for cadets of Short Service Course 47 (Army), which marked the final field exercise for the cadets in the Academy.

The TRADOC Commander, who was the Special Guest of Honour(SGoH) at the event, expressed satisfaction with the performance of the cadets during the exercise. He noted that the exercise which was designed to imbue confidence in them was also aimed at exposing the cadets to real battle conditions and what they may face in real life battle situations.

Maj Gen Olabanji underscored the importance of physical fitness and positive attitude to work. He also used the occasion to urge the cadets to remain focused and disciplined in the discharge of all assigned tasks upon their graduation from the Academy. He also thanked the Commandant Nigerian Defence Academy, Major General IM Yusuf, for providing realistic training to the cadets.

The SGoH also used the occasion to thank the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General F Yahaya, for providing quality leadership to the Nigerian Army.

Highlights of the major training activities during the Exercise CAMP HIGHLAND for Army cadets of Short Service Course 47 include: Map Reading Phase at Hiepang, near Jos, to test the cadets’ practical application of map reading; Adventure and Leadership Training Package at the Citizen and Leadership Training Centre, Shere Hills, Jos; and Tactical Phase, along Katul –Gidan Ali – Kamuru Ikulu Axis in Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State. Important features in the Tactical Phase included practice of new concepts of dismounted advance and reaction to enemy Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attacks, The Forward Operating Base (FOB) concept rather than the conventional deployment for defence, as well as aggressiveness during occupation of Forward Operating Base (patrols and ambushes) were also practiced. The cadets were also trained on combat shooting in conjunction with the usual Field Firing. In addition to the firing of Rocket Propelled Gun 7 and throwing of Grenade, the cadets passed through series of training during the combat shooting training (including Reactive Shooting, Casualty Evacuation shooting, Night Shooting, Multiple Tactical drills, shooting after Physical Effort and Counter Ambush Drills amongst others).

The battle Inoculation was concluded with a novelty shooting by the Special Guest of Honour, dignitaries from Army Headquarters and invited guests from sister services. Attached are pictures of the Exercise.

Featured

Tinubu Nominates Oyedele As Minister of State for Finance, Moves Anite-Uzoka to Budget Ministry

Published

13 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Eric

A statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga, has announced that “President Bola Tinubu has nominated Taiwo Oyedele as the minister of state for finance, replacing Doris Anite-Uzoka.

“Mrs Anite-Uzoka will now move to the Ministry of Budget and National Planning, as the Minister of State, her third portfolio in the administration.

“President Tinubu has today conveyed the nomination of Mr Oyedele to the Senate for confirmation in a letter to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.

“Until President Tinubu nominated him as a minister, Mr Oyedele from Ikaram, Akoko, Ondo State, was the chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, which overhauled Nigeria’s tax system.

“Mr Oyedele, 50, is an economist, accountant and public policy expert.

“He attended Yaba College of Technology, where he obtained a Higher National Diploma (HND) in accountancy and finance. He attended Oxford Brookes University and earned a BSc in applied accounting.

“He also completed executive education programmes at the London School of Economics, Yale University, the Gordon Institute of Business Science, and the Harvard Kennedy School.

“Mr Oyedele spent 22 years of his working career at PwC, joining in 2001 and rising to become the Fiscal Policy Partner and Africa Tax Leader.

“Mr Oyedele is also a professor at Babcock University in Ogun State and a visiting scholar at the Lagos Business School.”

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Defection: Atiku’s Son, Adamu, Resigns As Adamawa Commissioner

Published

19 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Eric

Adamu Abubakar, the first son of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, has resigned as Adamawa State’s commissioner for works and energy development, days after Governor Ahmadu Fintiri defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.

Abubakar’s resignation letter, dated 2 March 2026, was addressed to the governor through the Secretary to the State Government. He gave no reason for his departure.

The timing is pointed. Fintiri announced his defection to the APC in a statewide broadcast last Friday, saying his cabinet and the PDP’s state structure had moved with him. Within 24 hours, 22 commissioners and special advisers publicly announced they were following suit. Abubakar, whose father remains one of the PDP’s most prominent national figures, was not among them.

In a statement issued Monday night, Abubakar’s media aide Abdulaziz Jauro said the former commissioner thanked the governor for the opportunity to serve and pledged continued loyalty to the administration’s developmental agenda. He also expressed gratitude to his father “for granting him the moral support and blessing to serve the people of Adamawa State” — a line that, read in context, suggests Atiku was consulted on the decision.

Abubakar said his resignation was not a withdrawal from public life. “This does not mark the end of his commitment to public service,” the statement read, “but rather the beginning of new avenues for developmental collaboration.”

The resignation leaves unresolved the question of whether it reflects a political break with the governor over his defection or a personal decision unconnected to the broader party realignment now reshaping Adamawa’s political landscape.

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DSS Nabs Man over Assassination Attempt on Peter Obi

Published

21 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Eric

Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS) has detained a man in connection with the recent attack and alleged assassination threats targeting Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

According to AIT, the shooting incident took place on February 24, 2026, in Benin City, Edo State, during a political gathering attended by Obi and several figures from the African Democratic Congress (ADC). The meeting was hosted by former APC National Chairman, John Oyegun. Gunmen reportedly opened fire at the venue, causing panic and forcing attendees to disperse for safety.

According to security sources, shortly after the attack, an individual identified as Udeme Monday Stephen allegedly took to social media claiming responsibility and issuing additional threats against Obi, warning of further violence.

Intelligence officials reportedly initiated swift investigations, employing digital tracing and forensic tools that led to the arrest of the 26-year-old suspect in Rivers State. He is said to be a teacher at a private secondary school in the Eliozu area of Obio-Akpor Local Government Area.

The suspect remains in DSS custody and is expected to face prosecution. The agency reiterated its commitment to responding to credible threats and safeguarding lives and national interests without bias.