President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday marked
the military ceremonies of the National Independence Day in Maiduguri, Borno
State, the epicenter of the Boko Haram terrorism and insurgency to honor the
courage and sacrifices of the Armed Forces.
A statement by the Senior Special Assistant on
media and publicity, Garba Shehu, said that the ceremony, which was marked with
a display of military hardware and a show of air power by the Air Force, took
place at the Maimalari Military Cantonment which houses the headquarters of the
Theatre Command, “Operation Lafiya Dole.”
According to him, that was the first time such
ceremonies will take place outside the nation’s capital.
After inspecting the military guard of honor,
President Buhari was said to have praised the gallantry of the Armed Forces for
the successes recorded in defeating terrorism in the North-East and lawlessness
in the Niger Delta.
He also gave assurances that the country’s
Armed Forces will be equipped with the best the country can afford.
“Under this leadership, there will be
resources as much as the country can afford to support your operations. As long
as you live and in service, your rights will be guarded jealousy,” the
President said.
He asked members of the three arms of the
military to return the gesture by being steadfast and loyal.
“You must stand firm for your country. The
center is determined to hold. You must be loyal to the center. If Nigeria
breaks, you are the first line of losers so you must stand firm for your selves
and for the country. The security of the country is in your hands and in the
hands of God,” he stressed.
President Buhari reiterated an earlier warning
in his National Day Broadcast that the country will not break up under his
watch and dismissed those agitating for its division as dreamers who were not
born when the country went through a debilitating civil war in which two
million lives were lost.
“Those who are making noises were not born, so
they don’t know what we went through. They don’t know. I like to remind you
that whatever happens, you are at the front lines of the defence of the
citizens wherever they live. This administration is prepared to protect all
citizens residing in all parts of the country.”
The President commended the fortitude of the
wounded-in-action soldiers who are receiving treatment and wished them quick
recovery when he met them in a special tent.
President Buhari also inspected several
military equipment, newly-acquired and
those refurbished put on display as well as some of the new acquisitions of the
Air Force that included night-vision Mi 35 attack helicopters.
In his welcome speech at the ceremony, the
Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel
Olonisakin commended the President for showing a lot of care for the Armed
Forces.
He assured the President that the country’s
military will continue to be loyal to the administration and expressed their
readiness to guarantee the sovereignty of the nation and the security of its
people.
The CDS said the visit by the President will
rejig and boost the spirit of the Armed Forces, assuring that with better morale,
they will fight better.
The President was joined in cutting the
Anniversary Cake by the host Governor, Kashim Shettima, the Chief of Staff,
Abba Kyari, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olonisakin, the Chief of Army
Staff, General Tukur Buratai, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Abubakar
Sadiq, the Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas, the Theater Commander,
General Ibrahim Attahir and the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Umar Garbai El-Kanemi.
Source: thenationonlineng.net
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