The University of Abuja has announced the appointment of Air Vice-Marshal Saddiq Ismaila Kaita (Rtd) as the chair of its governing council.
The announcement was made in a statement on Tuesday August 6, 2024.
Kaita’s Profile
Born on February 21, 1965, in Katsina Local Government Area, Katsina State, Kaita has had a distinguished career marked by significant contributions to both military service and academia.
Kaita’s educational journey began at Capital School in Kaduna, where he earned his First School Leaving Certificate in 1977. He then attended Kings College in Lagos for a brief period before transferring to Government College, Katsina, where he completed his General Certificate Examination (GCE) in 1982. His pursuit of higher education led him to the Nigerian Defence Academy, where he completed his NDACE ‘A’ levels from 1983 to 1986.
Kaita furthered his studies by obtaining a Master’s degree in Strategic Studies from the Bangladesh University of Professionals in 2012 and an MPhil in Defence and Security Studies from the Nigerian Defence Academy in 2019. Currently, he is working towards a PhD in Security Studies at the NDA.
A highly trained military professional, Air Vice-Marshal Kaita has accumulated extensive experience in flight safety, having undergone various national and international training programs in renowned Flight Safety Training Centres across the globe, including locations in Spain, the United States, and Bangladesh.
As a flying instructor, he boasts more than 1,500 instructional hours and over 4,500 total flying hours, showcasing his expertise and commitment to aviation.
Throughout his illustrious career, Kaita has held numerous prestigious positions, including Air Officer Commanding Special Operation Command (AOCSOC) from July 2017 to August 2018, and Air Officer Commanding Ground Training Command from August 2018 to October 2018. He served as the Deputy Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy between October 2018 and December 2019, and later directed strategy at the Defence Headquarters in January 2020.
His final role before retirement in 2021 was as Chief of Defence for Transformation and Innovation.
Kaita’s contributions to the military and educational sectors have been widely recognized. He is credited with initiating the delineation and demarcation of training areas for optimal usage and safety, producing the first Standard Checklist for the Abt18 Aircraft, as well as reviewing and computerizing training manuals and instructional briefs.
He also pioneered the training of the basic transport flying course, among many other notable achievements.
