Nigerian Army DSSC/SSC Test cheat sheet

Synonyms: choose the option closest in meaning; eliminate options that are too broad, too narrow, or wrong register.

Antonyms: look for the direct opposite; beware of near-synonyms of the prompt word among the options.

Analogies: identify the precise relationship (cause-effect, part-whole, degree, function) before comparing options.

Sentence completion: use the surrounding clause to predict the missing word's meaning and tone, then match.

Concord: singular subjects take singular verbs; ignore parenthetical phrases between subject and verb.

Tense sequence: past main clause normally takes past subordinate clause unless a universal truth is stated.

Idioms and phrasal verbs: meaning is not literal; e.g., 'to let the cat out of the bag' means to reveal a secret.

Reading comprehension: answers must be supported by the passage; reject options that add outside information.

Percentage change = (new − old) ÷ old × 100; a 20% increase then 20% decrease leaves 96% of the original, not 100%.

Simple interest I = PRT/100; compound amount A = P(1 + r/n)^(nt).

Speed = distance ÷ time; to convert km/h to m/s multiply by 5/18.

Average = sum of values ÷ number of values; if a value is added, new average = (old sum + new value) ÷ (n + 1).

Ratio sharing: total parts = sum of ratio numbers; one share = total ÷ total parts × its ratio number.

Probability of an event = favourable outcomes ÷ total equally likely outcomes; P(not A) = 1 − P(A).

Area of a circle = πr²; circumference = 2πr; volume of a cylinder = πr²h.

Number series: check differences, then ratios, then alternating or square/cube patterns before guessing.

Nigeria became a republic in 1963 with Nnamdi Azikiwe as ceremonial President and Tafawa Balewa as Prime Minister.

Nigeria's current constitution is the 1999 Constitution (as amended); it provides for a President, National Assembly, and judiciary.

The National Assembly is bicameral: 109 Senators (3 per state plus 1 for the FCT) and 360 members of the House of Representatives.

Nigeria has 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; the FCT is not a state and has no governor.

ECOWAS was established in 1975 in Lagos; its current headquarters is in Abuja.

The African Union replaced the OAU in 2002; its headquarters is in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The United Nations was founded in 1945; its Security Council has five permanent members with veto power.

Current affairs questions often test recent appointments, national days, and headquarters; verify dates against reliable sources.

Amalgamation of the Northern and Southern Protectorates took place in 1914 under Lord Frederick Lugard.

Nigeria gained independence on 1 October 1960; the first Prime Minister was Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.

The first military coup in Nigeria was on 15 January 1966, led by Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu and others.

The Nigerian Civil War (Biafra War) lasted from 1967 to 1970 and ended with the 'No victor, no vanquished' policy.

The first Nigerian constitution to be wholly drafted by Nigerians was the 1963 Republican Constitution.

State creation: 12 states in 1967, 19 in 1976, 21 in 1987, 30 in 1991, and 36 in 1996.

The first Nigerian to head the UN General Assembly was General Joseph Garba (1974–1975).

The Aba Women's Riot of 1929 protested taxation of women in Eastern Nigeria.

Separation of powers divides government into executive, legislature, and judiciary, each checking the others.

Federalism shares power between central and state governments; residual powers go to states, exclusive powers to the centre.

The rule of law requires that no one is above the law, laws are published, and courts are independent.

A constitution is the supreme law; any law inconsistent with it is void to the extent of the inconsistency.

Citizenship in Nigeria can be acquired by birth, registration, or naturalisation.

Fundamental human rights are guaranteed in Chapter IV of the 1999 Constitution (e.g., right to life, fair hearing).

The electoral commission in Nigeria is INEC; it registers voters and conducts federal and state elections.

A bill becomes law after passage by both chambers and presidential assent; a two-thirds override is possible.

The Nigerian Army's core roles include defence of territorial integrity, aid to civil authority, and peacekeeping.

Ranks: officer cadet → second lieutenant → lieutenant → captain → major → lieutenant colonel → colonel → brigadier general → major general → lieutenant general → general.

NCO ranks include lance corporal, corporal, sergeant, staff sergeant, warrant officer, and master warrant officer.

A battalion is commanded by a lieutenant colonel and typically has 300–800 soldiers; a company is commanded by a major or captain.

Principles of war include objective, offensive, surprise, concentration of force, economy of effort, and security.

The Nigerian Army is part of the Nigerian Armed Forces, alongside the Navy and Air Force; the Commander-in-Chief is the President.

Nigeria contributes troops to UN and ECOWAS peace operations; the ECOWAS Standby Force is a regional mechanism.

Military map reading uses grid references, contours, and bearings; a bearing is measured clockwise from north in degrees.

For combat corps (infantry, armour), know section and platoon tactics, fire discipline, and battle drills.

For engineering corps, know bridging, demolition, and field fortification basics.

For signals, know radio procedure, frequencies, and communication security.

For medical corps, know triage categories (immediate, delayed, minimal, expectant) and first aid priorities.

For intelligence corps, know the intelligence cycle: direction, collection, processing, dissemination.

For logistics, know the classes of supply (I–X) and the chain of supply from depot to unit.

For education corps, know instructional methods and test construction principles.

For legal corps, know military law basics: summary and general court-martial procedures.

Rotation: a 90° clockwise turn maps north to east; 180° maps north to south; 270° maps north to west.

Mirror image: left and right are reversed; top and bottom stay the same.

Paper folding: unfold in reverse order of the folds; each fold doubles the number of holes if punched through all layers.

Series completion: check for alternating sequences, increasing differences, and letter-position patterns (A=1, B=2, …).

Syllogism: valid conclusion must follow from premises; a conclusion about 'some' cannot be drawn from 'all' alone unless existence is assumed.

Odd-one-out: group items by a single shared property (shape, number of sides, symmetry) and identify the item lacking it.

Cube nets: a valid net has six squares that fold without overlap; opposite faces are never adjacent in the net.

Direction sense: draw a diagram and track net displacement; use Pythagoras for shortest distance.