The Commandant of the Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA), Major General Ibrahim Yusuf, on Tuesday, presented a report of the August 24 attack on the facility to the House of Representatives Committee on Defence with an assurance that concerted efforts are being made to rescue the officer that was abducted during the incident.
Maj Gen Yusuf who said that he only assumed duty a few weeks before the attack lamented that the unfortunate incident would never repeat itself again as efforts were being put in place by stakeholders including retired and serving Military Officers to beef up security n the Academy which he described as the pride of the nation.
According to him, “I assumed command of the Academy on the 9th of July this year and barely six weeks later this unfortunate incident occurred. I am really delighted to be given this opportunity to be here to shed more light on the occurrence and perhaps more importantly the ongoing efforts we are making to recover the abducted officer. And also measures the academy is currently emplacing to ensure that this does not ever occur again.
“At this point, I would also like to register my deep appreciation and inform the House as well that the day this incident occurred, the Chief of Defence Staff visited the academy the same day, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) visited three days later, by the following week all the services chiefs and some retired officers were all in the academy just to commiserate with the academy community and also to get more information on what the academy is doing to ensure that this incident does not occur again
“Many senior, retired and serving military officers have called, they have also visited the academy because the academy is very dear not only to the military but to Nigeria as a whole. I also want to appreciate you for accepting that I make this presentation this morning because I am scheduled to travel to Owerri by 11 in order to attend the burial of Flight Lieutenant Okoronkwo who is from Bende in Abia State. Only on Saturday, I attended the burial of Lt Commander Wulah who also died as a result of that unfortunate incident.”
Speaking before the briefing, the Chairman of the Committee on Defence, Hon Babajimi Benson, said the report would shed more light on the dastardly incident.
Hon Benson, who represents Ikorodu Federal Constituency, said that the Committee invited the Commandant purposely to receive updates on efforts being made to rescue the officer who was abducted in the incident, as well as measures put in place to prevent another occurrence.
During the attack, two officers were reportedly killed and another abducted after which the attackers reportedly demanded a ransom of N200m.
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