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Lt. Col. Imam Makes History As First Serving Professor In Nigerian Army
In a historic announcement by the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) Kaduna, Lt. Col. Abubakar-Surajo Imam has made history as the first serving personnel to attain the esteemed rank of professor within the Nigerian Army.
This groundbreaking achievement marks a significant stride in the field of Mechatronics Engineering, showcasing Imam’s exceptional academic prowess.
Lt. Col. Abubakar-Surajo Imam’s journey to becoming the first professor from serving personnel in the Nigerian Army is rooted in his exceptional contributions to the field of Mechatronics Engineering.
The Registrar of the Academy, Brig.-Gen. AM Tukur, revealed that the promotion, officially ratified during the NDA Council Meeting in September, underscores Imam’s substantial impact on the Department of Mechatronics Engineering.
Tukur emphasized that the promotion not only honours Professor Imam but also reflects the commitment of the Nigerian Defence Academy to acknowledge and reward outstanding contributions within its academic community.
He stated, “This recognition not only honours Professor Imam but also highlights the commitment of the Nigerian Defence Academy to acknowledging and rewarding outstanding contributions within its academic community.”
Hailing from Kankia in Katsina State, Lt. Col. Abubakar-Surajo Imam holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Bayero University, Kano.
His academic journey continued with a Master’s Degree in Mechatronics from Newcastle University, United Kingdom, and culminated in a PhD in Mechatronics and Robotics from the same University.
Imam’s military career commenced with his enrollment in the Nigerian Army as a member of Short Service Combatant Course 32.
He later converted to Regular Commission, serving in various units, including 1 Base Workshop, Technical Group EME, HQ Nigerian Army Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Corps, and DICON.
Additionally, Prof. Imam serves as an Examiner and Member of the Central Selection Committee for Master and PhD candidates sponsored by the Petroleum Technology Development Fund.
Apart from his military responsibilities, Imam is actively involved in research with institutions such as the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), the Defence Research and Development Bureau, Abuja, and several others.
His extensive research portfolio includes collaborations with the Air Force Institute of Technology, Kaduna, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology in Wudil, Kano State.
Lt. Col. Imam’s global presence is evident in his participation in over 40 international workshops and numerous seminars.
He has presented papers at conferences in the United Kingdom, Spain, Egypt, and the United States of America.
Within the NDA, Lt. Col. Imam’s Research and Development efforts have significantly elevated the Academy’s visibility among Nigerian Universities.
His leadership has been instrumental in founding the NDA Department of Mechatronic Engineering and establishing the Centre for Innovation and Creativity.
The Centre for Innovation and Creativity, spearheaded by Imam, serves as a platform for realising Nigeria’s Military Industrial Complex.
By promoting innovation and creativity in cutting-edge technologies related to military and civil hardware and software solutions, it aims to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on foreign technical solutions.
Imam’s legacy extends beyond his academic and military achievements to his published works, covering a spectrum of topics such as Mechatronics, PIC Microcontrollers, Embedded Systems Design, Sensors and Actuators for Embedded Systems, Coding, Robotics, and Drone Technology.
His contributions include a Field Manual for Drone Technology, among other notable works.
A coalition of youth organisations has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to reconsider its wanted tag on socialite, Dr Aisha Sulaiman Achimugu, OFR.
The organisations, Niger Delta Youth Council for Good Governance and Middle Belt Youth Stakeholders’ Initiative said this in a joint press statement they issued on Thursday in Abuja.
According to them, the declaration of Achimugu wanted by the anti-corruption agency came to them as a rude shock.
The joint statement was signed by Comrade Emma Niboro and Ali Ameh for Niger Delta Youth Council for Good Governance and Middle Belt Youth Stakeholders’ Initiative, respectively.
They described Achimugu as a dedicated friend of the youths, who had always shown commitment to the welfare and care of the downtrodden.
According to the youth coalition, “we know the Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, as a man who came with utmost zeal to sanitize the agency. He has already demonstrated this and we are proud of his achievements so far.
“However, we urge him to resist pressure from politicians, which is a plague that has dwarfed EFCC for several years of its existence.
“The commission had hitherto remained a tool for politicians to undue their perceived political foes and this has always rubbed off on the credibility of the agency.
“The case of Achumugu doesn’t appear to be different in any way, as the haste with which she was declared wanted showed there is a hand of Esau and voice of Jacob.
“Our appeal is that the commission should withdraw the wanted tag on her and give her ample time to report to the commission, as she has never been indicted of any offence whether in Nigeria or outside the country.”
While noting that Achimugu is a global figure, they added that they can always vouch for her integrity.
“We know her, she has always been of immense help to the youths and other members of the society.
“Her closeness to certain politicians should not be used as a tool to persecute or harass her,” the youths further stated.
The Supreme Court has overturned the Court of Appeal’s decision that recognised Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP). In a decisive ruling, a five-member panel declared that the Court of Appeal lacked the legal authority to determine the party’s leadership matters.
In a unanimous verdict, the highest court in the land stated that the Court of Appeal had no jurisdiction over the matter. The panel observed that since the case revolved around the internal leadership structure of the Labour Party, it fell outside the jurisdiction of the courts.
The ruling reinforced the long-standing principle that leadership disputes within political parties should be resolved internally, rather than through judicial intervention.
The Supreme Court stressed that leadership struggles within political parties are purely internal matters. According to legal principles, courts should not interfere in such issues, as they fall under the party’s constitution and governance framework. By upholding this legal doctrine, the apex court reaffirmed that political parties must settle their leadership crises independently.
The Supreme Court upheld the appeal lodged by Senator Nenadi Usman and a fellow appellant, ruling that their claims were valid. Their appeal challenged the earlier judgment, arguing that it was flawed due to jurisdictional overreach. After thorough legal scrutiny, the Supreme Court found merit in their argument and ruled in their favour.
The legal battle also involved a cross-appeal filed by supporters of Julius Abure, who sought to challenge the decision against their leader. However, the Supreme Court dismissed this cross-appeal, declaring it unsubstantiated and lacking merit. The ruling effectively ended the legal contest over the Labour Party’s chairmanship, cementing the judiciary’s stance on non-interference in party leadership disputes.
Bitcoin experienced sharp fluctuations following President Donald Trump’s April 2 tariff announcement, initially surging to $88,000 before dropping to $82,000.
By April 3, it stabilized around $83,000, with the broader crypto market down over 4%. Major altcoins like Ethereum and Solana also declined over 6%, hitting multi-month lows.
Analysts see the tariff news as reducing market uncertainty, potentially attracting institutional investors.
Despite higher-than-expected rates, experts believe the clarity could help Bitcoin regain momentum toward $90,000. Bitcoin ETFs, led by BlackRock, recorded $218 million in inflows on April 2, reversing prior outflows.
Kraken’s Thomas Perfumo challenged the idea that institutional interest stabilizes crypto, emphasizing that volatility signals demand for a scarce asset.
Some analysts viewed the sell-off as an overreaction to trade policy concerns, highlighting Bitcoin’s resilience as a store of value.
With ETFs showing strong demand, Bitcoin’s price may stabilize and rise, though market participants remain cautious, monitoring trade policies and economic conditions.