NCC Educates NDA Students On Use Of ICT In Modern Warfare

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is teaching computer science students at the Nigerian Defense Academy (NDA) how to use information and communication technology in modern warfare (ICT).

At a speech to the cadets on Monday in Abuja, Prof. Umar Danbatta, the Executive Vice-Chairman (EVC) of the NCC, claimed that contemporary warfare was no longer about physical conflict.

Danbatta said that NCC was putting money into contemporary communication warfare in order to uphold and nurture internal tranquilly and fend off assault from beyond.

“The ultimate training we have given our officers and gentlemen in the military is modern warfare technique. And this technique does not rely on physical combat anymore.

“You don’t even come close to each other; the war is normally won without exchanging a simple blow. The war is normally won safely in the command and control centres.

“Like I said, the combat readiness strategy has been implemented – locating where the enemy is, and giving instructions to the Air Force to do the damage that will contain the threats posed by them.

“I am not a military man, but I think what we are seeing increasingly is this deployment of items of electronic equipment to fight wars,” he explained

He claimed that if the nation wanted to prevail in the war against insecurity and foreign aggression, its electronic combat preparedness had to be at the highest level possible.

He urged the military students to develop software that would support military operations.

“I also encourage them to come up with a software that can help some of these programmes.

“We engage institutions to find what we can do in order to ensure they deliver on the important mandate given to them to train minds.”

He emphasised the need of working with various government entities to determine and agree upon the course that would be in the best interests of the country.

“We cannot just sit inside the NCC by ourselves; we must engage with these critical stakeholders. We must listen to them and explain what we are doing.

“By so doing, we shall get a feedback that will, in turn, enhance the journey we are undertaking. We must improve the quality of service that is being provided by mobile network operators.

“We must ensure optimum utilisation of resources like spectrums; we must attract the right amount of investment into the sector for the provision of more qualitative and efficient services,” Danbatta said.

The cadets were present to balance theories, according to Dr. Abraham Evwiekpaefe, Chief of the NDA's Computer Science Department.

“We are here for a site visit. We want the cadets to get first hand knowledge of the infrastructure to ensure a balance between the theory and different products of operation.

“This is part of the requirements for students on Industrial Training.

He praised NCC's commitment to the NDA in the field of capacity building and the institution's usage of an internet network for a year while calling for increased cooperation between the agencies.