Lieutenant Colonel Abubakar-Surajo Imam has become the inaugural officer among the serving personnel of the Nigerian Army to attain the rank of professor.
Imam, who has been granted the designation of Professor by the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), now holds the title of Professor of Mechatronics Engineering.
The Registrar of the Academy, Brigadier General A.M Tukur, revealed in a statement that the promotion of Lieutenant Colonel Imam, who serves as the Head of the Department of Mechatronics Engineering, was officially approved during the NDA Council Meeting in September and became effective on October 1, 2022.
The statement clarified that the decision of the Academy’s Council reflects their confidence in and acknowledgment of Imam’s contributions to the Department of Mechatronics Engineering at the NDA.
Additionally, it emphasized that the newly appointed professor has demonstrated exemplary service and upheld the expected standards of excellence in his field.
The new professor, originally from Kankia in Katsina State, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Bayero University, Kano State. He further earned a master’s degree in Mechatronics from Newcastle University, United Kingdom, and a Ph.D. in Mechatronics and Robotics from the same institution.
He enlisted in the Nigerian Army as part of Short Service Combatant Course 32, initially assigned to the Nigerian Army Corps of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering.
Over the course of his military tenure, Imam subsequently transitioned to Regular Commission and held various positions, including service in units such as 1 Base Workshop, Technical Group EME, HQ Nigerian Army Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Corps, and Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON).
In addition to his military roles, the newly appointed professor serves as an Examiner and Member of the Central Selection Committee for Master’s and PhD candidates sponsored by the Petroleum Technology Development Fund.