By Nkechi Eze
The National Defence College (NDC) has launched its maiden Defence and Security Management Course 1, a landmark initiative aimed at sharpening the capacity of strategic leaders to effectively address Nigeria’s complex and evolving security challenges.
Declaring the programme open at the College in Abuja, the Commandant of NDC, Rear Admiral James Okosu, described the course as a timely response to the pressing need for enhanced security governance. Represented by the Deputy Commandant and Director of Studies, Major General Kelvin Ukandu, the Commandant noted that the training would deepen strategic understanding, foster inter-agency cooperation, and build resilient frameworks for national defence and security management.
Rear Admiral Okosu stressed that the course was particularly crucial at a period when Nigeria is grappling with hybrid threats such as kidnapping for ransom, terrorism, and climate-related risks that continue to complicate the national security landscape. He said the NDC was determined to provide the intellectual foundation and practical tools required to equip leaders across sectors with the capacity to respond innovatively to these challenges.
Earlier in his remarks, the Provost of the Centre for Strategic Research and Studies (CSRS), Professor Ahmed Adam, expressed appreciation to Major General Okanui for consistently representing the Commandant at the launch of strategic academic programmes. He praised his close collaboration with the Centre, which he said had strengthened and realigned its objectives in line with the College’s mandate to serve as Nigeria’s highest military training institution. “Your forward-looking and strategic engagement has been reassuring for the academic and professional growth of this institution,” the Provost stated.
Professor Adam also paid glowing tribute to the chief resource person for the programme, Air Vice Marshal (Rtd.) Umuru, whom he described as a consummate mentor with a distinguished record of service. Recalling his personal encounter in 1987, Adam narrated how, as a young university graduate, he was appointed by Umuru, the then Military Administrator of Kano State to serve on a state delegation to Saudi Arabia. That opportunity, he said, exposed him to the idea that later evolved into the Hajj savings scheme, which became institutionalised across Nigeria, allowing rural dwellers to participate in the pilgrimage without being marginalised by metropolitan elites. He lauded Umuru’s lifelong commitment to nurturing young leaders, a quality he continues to bring into the College’s strategic leadership programmes.
The Provost further emphasised the importance of seasoned resource persons such as Umuru and other senior officers whose experiences enrich the College’s intellectual and professional discourse. He urged participants to seize the opportunity to draw on such mentorship, noting that it was invaluable in shaping strategic leadership across military, governmental, and civil institutions.
The Defence and Security Management Course 1 has been structured as an intensive programme combining lectures, seminars, and interactive sessions. It is designed to prepare participants to address Nigeria’s national, regional, and international security challenges, while also equipping them to contribute meaningfully to inter-agency cooperation and defence governance reforms.
The launch of the course marks yet another milestone in NDC’s evolving role as a hub for strategic thought, policy research, and leadership training in defence and security management, underscoring its commitment to building leaders who can navigate the complex security environment of the 21st century.
