President Buhari unveils 81 Nigerian Army colours

President Muhammadu Buhari has presented 81 new national and regimental colours to deserving Units of the Nigerian Army Combatant and supporting units of the Force.

Out of the numbers, 53 Units were retired of their old colours while 28 units were new ones established between 2007 when the last Trooping and Presentation of Colours was done and now.

President Muhammadu Buhari was dressed in the Nigerian Army Ceremonial regalia, decorated with the rank of a Field Marshal, as the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces mounting the ceremonial Range rover to inspect the parade consisting of over 300 officers and 1000 soldiers

Shortly after the inspection, the Senior Master Warrant Officers of the 53 old units of the Nigerian Army marched out with their old National and Regimental Colours and parading it for the last time for the troops to pay their last respect before it would be handed over to the Nigerian Army Museum.

After the old colours were marched out of the Parade ground, the new once consisting of the 53 units that retired the old colours and the new 28 units created between within the past 16 years were given the blessings of the clergymen and the honour of the president to give a go ahead for the use by the units.

In his remarks the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari appreciated the privilege of presenting the colours to the set of deserving units which is the highest in the history of the West African Region and stressed that his administration had improved the security across the country since 2015.

The last march past for the ceremony was conducted with the new colours by the Guards Brigade platoon and was done to the admiration of the guest present.

Also present are the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor; the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya, and the Inspector-General of Police Usman Baba.

Reporting by Chukwuma Agbanusi; Editing by Annabel Nwachukwu and Oluwaseyi Ajibade