Parents of the 67 Regular Course cadets withdrawn from the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) have called on the institution to comply with a court judgment ordering the reinstatement of their children and payment of their entitlements.
The Federal High Court in Kaduna had on May 18, 2023 ruled in favour of the cadets, directing the NDA to reinstate them and settle all outstanding allowances since their dismissal in 2019.
The Court of Appeal later upheld the verdict on March 20, 2025 further mandating the NDA to award the cadets their degree certificates and recognise their participation in the academy’s 67th Passing Out Parade held on October 5, 2019.
At a press briefing in Abuja, some of the aggrieved parents, Mr Adebayo Onaivi, Daniel Chijoke Obioha, Mrs Margaret Salisu and Mohammed Ibrahim Daura, the Maradin Daura of Katsina State appealed to the Commandant of NDA, President Bola Tinubu, the Senate President, the Minister of Defence, and the Chief of Defence Staff to ensure the judgment is enforced.
Mr Adebayo Onaivi, while speaking on behalf of the parents said, “We are appealing to President Bola Tinubu, the Senate President, the Defence Minister, and the Chief of Defence Staff to consider what both court judgments have stated and ensure that justice is served for these children,” Onaivi said.
He expressed frustration over the NDA’s refusal to act despite losing at both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal.
“We have already won them in the National Assembly, we went to the Federal High Court, and they gave the same verdict. They (NDA) went to appeal the judgment, and their appeal was dismissed for lack of merit. The judgment is clear,” he stated.
Onaivi argued that the cadets were withdrawn over minor offenses after graduation and Passing Out Parade and questioned why the NDA would waste trained personnel at a time when Nigeria faces severe security challenges.
“They trained these children for four years, only to withdraw them over minor offenses which clearly, they punished them for the minor offenses, before the Passing Out Parade in the school. So, If Boko Haram members can be pardoned, why can’t these cadets be reinstated?” he asked.
He warned that leaving the cadets unemployed and aggrieved could push them toward criminal activities, which they have been avoiding since they were wrongfully withdrawn from the NDA.
“Do they want our children to join bandits or terrorists? These are trained military personnel, why waste them? he asked.
Onaivi further revealed that the NDA had earlier offered the cadets only their certificates in exchange for dropping the case, but the cadets rejected the offer, insisting on full compliance with the court order.
“I and some parents agreed, but the children refused. They are educated and know their rights. They demanded their full entitlements and proper reinstatement.
“Even if they do not want to reinstate our children, they should put them in some paramilitary organisations, so that they would be engaged, be useful to the society and make use of the trainings they acquired in the NDA,” he said
The parents are calling on the federal government to intervene and ensure the NDA obeys the court ruling, so that the children would be properly engaged and paid all their entitlements.
“We appeal to President Tinubu, the National Assembly, and all stakeholders to resolve this issue. These cadets are Nigeria’s future defenders, we cannot abandon them,” he said.
The parents vow to pursue all legal and diplomatic avenues until justice is served.
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