President Bola Tinubu has issued a strong directive to the Nigerian military to decisively confront Boko Haram terrorists, bandits, separatists, and other criminal groups threatening the nation’s peace and sovereignty.

 

Speaking through Vice President Kashim Shettima at the grand finale of the 2025 Nigerian Army Day Celebration held in Kaduna State, Tinubu declared that “the time to crush the criminals is now.”

 

The President reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the welfare of armed forces personnel, promising continued investment in modern equipment, intelligence capabilities, and human capital development to enhance the military’s operational effectiveness.

 

He urged officers and soldiers to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, discipline, courage, and honour, guided by the Nigerian Constitution and international best practices.

 

Paying tribute to the military’s historic and ongoing contributions, Tinubu emphasized that the Nigerian Army has always been a symbol of unity and duty, not merely a force of arms.

 

Recalling the Army’s role in ending the Nigerian Civil War, he said:

“The Nigerian Army brought the Civil War to a close. With the immortal words of General Yakubu Gowon, who is here with us today, ‘No victor, no vanquished’, we are reminded that we are one people with one destiny.”

 

He lauded the Army’s contributions to peacekeeping missions across Africa and the world, stressing that they fought not for conquest but for peace, and stood not for power but for principle.

 

“Today, we honour the enduring sacrifice of these men and women, those who have paid the supreme price and those who continue to stand guard at the gates of our democracy,” he concluded.