Defence Intelligence College (DIC) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) to provide specialised postgraduate programmes.
The MoU was signed at the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) headquarters in Abuja in a bid to enhance the knowledge and expertise of Nigerian military, security, and intelligence personnel.
The UNN team led by the vice chancellor, Prof. Charles Igwe, accompanied by the registrar, Dr Celine Nebedum, dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, Prof. Ike Onyishi and the coordinator of UNN-DIC Collaboration, Prof. Freedom Onuoha, was received by the chief of defence intelligence (CDI), Maj-Gen. Emmanuel Undiandeye.
The CDI who endorsed the partnership however, emphasised the need for modalities to align with Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC) and Defence Headquarters (DHQ) stipulations.
He stressed the importance of developing professional courses and grading schemes for the programme.
Earlier, the commandant of DIC, Rear Admiral Julius Nwagu, said the college trains the nation’s secret and intelligence services personnel, including military, paramilitary, security and critical civilian organisations.
Nwagu highlighted the rationale behind collaborating with UNN, which is to deliver knowledge to low and medium-level staff of these agencies, enhancing their competence and capacity.
He disclosed that the DIC is already collaborating with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), among others.
The commandant underscored the importance of sustainability and ensuring the programme does not disrupt existing DIC courses and lectures.
He said: “The issue of sustainability is of utmost importance. Furthermore, the program will not disrupt the existing courses and lectures within the DIC. We will benefit from the pool of intellectuals participating in the programme, who can also be utilised to enhance our organic programmes.”
Nwagu lauded the high standard of the UNN while noting that the DIC is also aiming at collaborating with the university in Research and Development (R&D).
He commended the university team for coming, stating that both parties will work towards advancing the relationship.
On his part, Prof. Igwe, expressed gratitude to the DIC for the invitation and underlined the significance of the partnership between them.
He said UNN was the first indigenous university in Nigeria and the first to award an indigenous degree, adding that the school also pioneered the general studies programme, now a standard in every other university in the country.
Igwe stated, “Universities are established to proffer solutions to some of the problems or challenges of the nation, and the proposed collaboration between DIC and UNN contributes to this regard.” He added that UNN has one of the best faculties of Social Sciences in Nigeria and will establish the Department of Nuclear Sciences and Nuclear Engineering in the next session.
