President Bola Tinubu decorated the newly appointed service chiefs with their appropriate ranks in the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The ceremony began shortly after 2:00 p.m., with the president performing the decoration alongside Vice President Kashim Shettima and the spouses of the decorated officers, all dressed in their respective service uniforms.
General Olufemi Oluyede, Chief of Defence Staff; Lieutenant-General Wahidi Shaibu, Chief of Army Staff; Air Marshal Kennedy Aneke, Chief of Air Staff; and Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, Chief of Naval Staff, all received decorations.
Below is the full text of the speech.
Protocol
Distinguished Service chiefs,
I congratulate you on your appointment and subsequent confirmation by the Senate. As your Commander-in-Chief, I am entrusting you with a tremendous responsibility—one that you must approach with the highest standards of commitment and dedication.
Today’s ceremony is beyond the symbolism of decoration. It marks the beginning of our renewed effort to ensure the peace and security of all Nigerians. Each of you has been carefully selected for this critical task.
Security is an essential element without which everything else is rendered meaningless. There cannot be sufficient development if this fundamental aspect of human need is unmet. Our people and our nation must remain secure to enjoy the benefits of governance.
The government’s foremost duty is to protect the citizens. Over the years, our military has remained steadfast in defending our nation’s territorial integrity, with many soldiers paying the ultimate price for their service. In dark times, when terrorists and armed marauders held significant portions of our land, our gallant armed forces rose to the challenge and reclaimed those occupied territories.
We have restored peace to many areas previously under siege, rescued countless kidnapped citizens, and significantly diminished the capacity of the terror groups.
I thank our armed forces for their patriotism, diligence, and dedication to their duty. As your Commander-in-Chief, I sincerely appreciate your sacrifices, as I have repeatedly acknowledged.
However, challenges remain. Security threats are constantly evolving, constantly mutating. Of grave concern to our administration is the recent emergence of new armed groups in the North-Central, North-West, and parts of the South. We must not allow these new threats to fester. We must be decisive and proactive. Let us smash the new snakes right in the head.
I charge you, as the heads of our nation’s armed forces, to carry out your duties with patriotic zeal. Nigerians expect results, not excuses.
I charge you also to be innovative, preemptive, and courageous. Let’s stay ahead of those who seek to threaten our peace. Let us deploy technology where necessary. We cannot allow the crisis that began in 2009 to persist any longer.
I wish you success as you take up the challenge. I promise to provide all the support you need to get the job done.
Thank you, and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria. May God continue to keep our armed forces safe.
