Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
The Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. Bashir Magashi (rtd), at the weekend, said the federal government was determined to surmount the security challenges confronting the nation.
He spoke as the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, hosted 93 retired senior officers to a send forth dinner, where he commended them for the service rendered to the nation.
The event was attended by the service chiefs – Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru (Army), Air Marshal Oladayo Amao (Air Force), and Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo (Navy).
Former Chiefs of Defence Staff, Admiral Ibrahim Oghohi (rtd) and Gen. Martin Luther Agwai (rtd), were also in attendance.
Magashi, who was the special guest of honour at the event held in Abuja, said the federal government was determined to contain insecurity.
He said: “You have served this country very well. Please continue to work for the country even outside the service.
“Very soon, we will get out of where we found ourselves (insecurity),” he said.
Magashi urged the retirees to continue to work for the service of the nation.
“I know most of you may not be happy with what is going on, but I know that we will surmount it. I am also a retired general. My name was in the archive before they remembered me and made me a minister,” he stated.
He commended the military leadership for organising the event with the collaboration of the three services, which he said pointed to the future of the armed forces in terms of coordinated and joint operations.
“I appreciate the tri-service rapport in organising this event. It is the future of what the armed forces will look like,” he said.
Earlier, Irabor had said the event provoked mixed feelings for him, seeing colleagues with whom he started a career as teenagers, leave the military.
“I feel emotional that the retirees are leaving a profession we all started as teenagers. They all worked in our national interest,” he said.
He added that the services of the retired officers would not be forgotten and urged them to continue to avail the military and the nation of their services.
The spokesman of the retired military officers, Air Vice Marshal N. Balogun (rtd), wished the military leadership luck in managing the security of the nation.
While thanking the leadership for the honour accorded them, he urged the service chiefs to work as a team in order to guarantee the security of the nation.
The retired generals were presented with awards by the minister and service chiefs while the wives of departed officers were also honoured.
The 93 senior officers include major generals and their equivalent in the navy and air force, 67 brigadier-generals and the equivalent in the other services.
