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Cadets pose for a photo during the 14th Law of Armed Conflict Competition for Military Academies at the International Institute of Humanitarian Law in San Remo, Italy. (Photo courtesy International Institute of Humanitarian Law)

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Six cadets from the Nigeria Defense Academy competed in the 14th Law of Armed Conflict Competition for Military Academies at the International Institute of Humanitarian Law in San Remo, Italy March 23-27.

The Nigerian participants placed 3rd in the mixed team category, 5th overall and were the only representatives from Africa. Other countries represented among the 17 teams included the U.S., Denmark, India, Turkey, France and the United Kingdom.

U.S. Africa Command assisted the Nigeria Defense Academy by sponsoring one of the academy’s two teams. Al Gonyer, a paralegal in AFRICOM’s legal engagements section, said that sponsoring the Nigerian team is part of a broader effort by the command to support adherence to the rule of law by militaries in Africa.

"The cadets used what they learned about [the law of armed conflict] and non-international armed conflict and applied it in this factually realistic scenario.  It was impressive," Gonyer said.

According to the institute’s course materials, the competition aims to teach cadets the law of armed conflict and its applications in the modern world. The competition offers a unique international forum where cadets from numerous countries with different cultural and linguistic backgrounds learn to work together in a simulated environment.

Nigerian Army Lt. Col. Nura Inuwa, a military adviser at the Nigeria Defense Academy, said cadets learn about the law of armed conflict throughout their five years at the academy.  He added that this was the first year the Nigerian team included two female cadets.