By Eric Elezuo
The President and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, Muhammadu Buhari, has on Tuesday honoured 450 Nigerians and friends of Nigeria with prestigious national honours of various categories.
Among the awardees were the Director General of the World Trade Organization, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, Ms Amina Mohammed, the immediate past Chief Justice of Nigeria, Tanko Muhammad, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Kayode Ariwoola, President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan and Permanent Rep to the UN, Prof Tijani Mohammed-Bande, who were decorated with the second highest honours of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON).
Other awardees include the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, Governors Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, Ben Ayade of Cross Rivers State, Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, Ifeanyi Ugwuani of Enugu State, Babagana Zulum of Borno State, Mai Buni of Yobe State, Ogbonnaya Onu and a host of others who bagged range of honours cutting across Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR), Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON), Member of the Federal Republic (MFR), Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) among others.
Speaking after conferring the honours on the distinguished individuals, Buhari stressing the need for all to do their best for Nigeria, reiterating the commitment of the Federal Government, under his leadership, to smoke out all forms of banditry, criminality, terrorism and insurgency in the land.
He maintained that he was determined to hand over a Nigeria that is free from insecurity to the next generation of leaders.
