COAS unveils cenotaph for 11 fallen NDA naval cadets; vows sacrifice will not be forgotten
Abdullateef Fowewe
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General W. Shuaibu, has unveiled a cenotaph and laid wreaths at the Nigerian Navy Basic Training School, Onne, Rivers State, in honour of 11 Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) Naval Cadets of 41 Regular Course who died during training in 1990.
This was made known in a statement signed by Colone. Appolonia Anele, Acting Director of Army Public Relations.
Speaking at the ceremony attended by military dignitaries, personnel and relatives of the deceased, Lieutenant General Shuaibu said the memorial was a necessary act of remembrance and a permanent tribute to the fallen cadets.
“I stand with profound reverence, deep humility and a solemn sense of duty to honour my coursemates who paid the ultimate sacrifice,” he said, adding that the cenotaph “stands as an enduring tribute to 11 young patriots whose aspirations to serve Nigeria were tragically cut short.”
The COAS recalled the tragedy of 23 July 1990, when 23 first-year NDA naval cadets were undergoing boat-handling training at the then Nigerian Naval College, Onne.
Their boat collided with a stationary jetty and capsized, resulting in the loss of 11 promising officers-in-the-making, an event he described as “one of the saddest chapters in the history of military training in Nigeria.”
Lieutenant General Shuaibu emphasised the strategic importance of remembrance in military tradition, saying it reinforces esprit de corps, institutional continuity and the resolve of future officers to serve with honour.
“Their names are permanently etched on the monument, in the nation’s military history and in the hearts of their coursemates,” he said, assuring families that the Armed Forces and a grateful nation will never forget the cadets’ sacrifice.
Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Ibrahim Abbas, represented by Rear Admiral J. N. Mamman, described the cenotaph as a solemn dedication to the cadet officers who “paid the supreme price in the line of training and service.”
He prayed for the peaceful repose of their souls and praised the Nigerian Navy Basic Training School for its commitment to the memorial project.
The unveiling and wreath-laying ceremony underlined the Armed Forces of Nigeria’s commitment to honouring fallen personnel and to inspiring future generations to place national interest above self in safeguarding the country’s peace and sovereignty.
