The Minister of Defence, retired Major General Bashir Magashi (rtd) has challenged the newly promoted Senior Officers in the Military to reinvigorate efforts to end current security challenges bedeveling the country.
General Magashi who was the special guest of honour at the Decoration ceremony of the newly promoted officers of the Nigerian Army gave the Charge in his address at the at the Army Headquarters Command Officers Mess, Asokoro, Abuja.
He said to whom much is given, much is expected as he pointed out that the newly decorated Officers must justify their new ranks by rendering selfless service to the nation.
While delivering the felicitation of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, General Magashi said their elevations to the enviable ranks were well deserved and urged them to remain focused in the discharge of their mandate to comprehensively defeat the adversaries.
National Aspirations
He reminded them that they cannot afford to let down the nation in their call to higher responsibility in defending the Nation’s territorial integrity and in meeting the National aspirations for peace in all dark spots of insecurity in parts of the Country.
He congratulated the officers, their spouses and families for the new achievement attained by their loved ones in service to the nation according to a statement by the Ministry of Defence.
The Chief of Army Staff Lt General Faruk Yahaya while speaking at the ceremony tasked the newly decorated Officers to see their new ranks as a call to higher duty and more responsibility especially now that the service is at the forefront of combating criminalities in parts of the Country.
While thanking the Minister of Defence for his support to the Service, Lieutenant General Yahaya noted that promotion comes from God and told the newly elevated Officers to justify the confidence reposed in them by showing greater discipline and dedication to duty as well as unhindered loyalty to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
Degrading of criminals
He called for ruthless degrading of criminal elements pointing out that they must remain highly professional and apolitical adding that there is no room for indolence.
A total of forty- one Brigadier General to Major Generals were decorated and seventy-five Colonel to Brigadier General were also decorated.
Present at the decoration ceremony were the Edo State Governor Godwin Obasaki, National Security Adviser, Retired Major General Mohammed Manguno (rtd), the Nigerian Ambassador to The Republic of Benin and former Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai (rtd), Chairman Senate Committee on Army Ali Ndume and Chairman House Committee on Army Abdulrasaq Namdas.
Lateefat Ibrahim
