…condemns siting universities in officers’ homes
By Haruna Salami
Senate Committee on Defence has advised the Nigerian Military to stop establishing universities that have no direct relevance to their core mandate of protecting the territory of Nigeria.
The Committee stated this Thursday at the 2023 budget defence of the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna and other institutions under the Ministry of Defence.
“The time now should be on research and the sciences. Most of the inventions around the world we have seen are from the military. All these inventions of weapons of mass destruction, who are the people manufacturing them. If you trace their history, you will discover that they are linked to military men.
“Why should we go and open universities where they will read History, Hausa, Geography, etc. What do we need that for? Why must we invest money on that. Leave that to other universities.
You should be thinking of universities where we will come out with something good for the country. We have been challenged. Some years ago when they talked of big money coming to the military, people thought it was a waste, but we are seeing the reality today. Right here in Abuja, people don’t sleep with their two eyes closed because they are not sure what will happen tomorrow.
“So, why should we be dwelling on courses that don’t add value to the Armed Forces? We should emphasise what will help the Armed Forces.
Chairman of the Committee, Senator Aliyu Wammako wondered why would the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), site a Military University in his own town, which he said was “disgusting, irresponsible, uncalled for and an abuse. It is rubbish”.
“We should develop what we already have such as the NDA”, he concluded.
