National Honour: Group to Dangiwa Umar — Military Officers You Mentioned Didn’t Fight for June 12

National Honour: Group to Dangiwa Umar — Military Officers You Mentioned Didn’t Fight for June 12

A pro-democracy group under the aegis of the June 12 Ibadan Alliance for Democracy has faulted former Military Governor of Kaduna State, Colonel Abubakar Dangiwa Umar (rtd), over his recent call for national honours to be extended to several of his military colleagues.

Col. Umar, who was recently conferred with the national honour of Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, had in a statement personally signed by him, appealed to the Federal Government to recognise “38 or more” unnamed ex-military officers whom he described as “unsung heroes” of the June 12, 1993 democratic struggle.

However, in a swift response, the June 12 Ibadan Alliance for Democracy rejected the suggestion, arguing that some of the officers referenced were in fact collaborators with the regime of the late General Sani Abacha and did not act in support of democratic ideals.

In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Arisekola Abdulwahab, the group said:

“We appreciate Col. Dangiwa Umar for accepting the national honour and acknowledge his outstanding role in defending the sanctity of June 12 despite being in military uniform. However, it is unacceptable to recommend for honours those military officers who were part of the machinery that frustrated and truncated Nigeria’s democratic aspirations.”

The group emphasized that while Umar’s personal contributions to the democracy movement are commendable and worthy of national recognition, those of his military colleagues—especially those who “hobnobbed with anti-democratic forces”—should not be glorified.

“For the benefit of younger generations who may not know the history, honouring such officers would wrongly present them as champions of democracy. That would be a distortion of history,” the statement warned.

The group concluded by urging President Tinubu and the National Honours Committee to exercise caution in selecting future honorees, stating that:

“National recognition should only go to individuals with verifiable contributions to Nigeria’s democratic journey.”