The Nigerian Defence Academy has dismissed 25 cadets over extortion of money from fellow junior cadets in the institution, amid protests by some of the expelled cadets.
Two of the cadets, who spoke in Kaduna, alleged that they were wrongfully dismissed without the constitution of a Board of Inquiry.
They further claimed that some junior cadets were forced to implicate them in what some of them claimed they knew nothing about.
According to the cadets, one Naval Lieutenant S.A. Biu, a Staff Officer Grade 111 of the Cadet Brigade Headquarters at the NDA, masterminded their exit from the institution.
A fourth-year cadet, Kenan Kingsley David, said, “He told me openly that even if everybody survived, I in particular would not escape.”
Kenan said due process was not followed in his dismissal, despite being relegated over indiscipline in 2015.
He added that some of the junior cadets implicated him because of fear of punishment.
Also, a third-year cadet, Victor Loh, 21, said he was taken aback when his name was mentioned as one of the extortionists.
He said he knew nothing about the offence and that some junior cadets were made to implicate him.
When contacted, the Academy’s Public Relations Officer, Captain Musa Yahaya, confirmed the incident to SUNDAY PUNCH in Kaduna, saying there was nothing unusual about withdrawal in the institution.
He said the institution always strived to churn out the best officers into the society and, as such, could not afford to condone indiscipline.
According to him, the 25 cadets were withdrawn because of their involvement in extortion of money from junior cadets in the foremost military institution.
