By Okodili Ndidi, Abuja

Forty-eight newly promoted Officers of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) were decorated on Thursday with their new ranks at the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) in Abuja.

The Nigerian Army also decorated 31 newly promoted Major-Generals.

NAF authorities urged the officers to justify the confidence reposed in them.

The Air Council recently approved the promotion of 35 officers to the rank of Air Commodore and 13 others to the rank of Air Vice Marshal (AVM).

NAF’s Chief of Administration, Air Vice Marshal Kingsley Lar said the officers were promoted on merit.

According to him, the promotion resulted from painstaking procedure and approval from the Air Council.

Lar said: “It is a truism that change is the most constant thing in life. Accordingly, when change occurs and it is on the positive side, those affected by such positive change have every reason to thank the Almighty God.

“It is in keeping with this dictum that we are gathered to celebrate yet another milestone in the career development of some of our senior officers who were recently elevated to the ranks of Air Commodore and AVM respectively. Their promotion followed a painstaking screening process and subsequent approval by the Air Council. A total of 35 senior officers were promoted to the enviable rank of Air Commodore while 13 others were elevated to the exalted rank of AVM.”

The Army’s 31 newly promoted Major-Generals serve in different formations across the country.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the new generals are among the recently promoted senior officers to different ranks by the army authorities.

Congratulating them, Defence Minister, Maj.-Gen. Bashir Magashi (retd.), urged the officers to justify their promotion through dedication and hard work.

“You were found worthy and the time has come for you to redouble your effort to justify the confidence reposed in you.”

“As you all know, promotion is a privilege and it is reward for dedication, hard work, commitment and loyalty to the constituted authorities.

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“It means this elevation is in recognition of your hard work, sacrifices you must have made individually and collectively to the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“All of you are worthy of your promotion and I am sure you will be able to perform any daunting task that may come within your new rank,” he said.

Chief of Army Staff (CAS), Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, urged them to remain focused, responsive and loyal to the constitution in the discharge of their responsibilities.

“You are in the right place at the right time, but the task ahead is still enormous and you must continue to earn the confidence of Nigerian army and the country.

“I want you to ensure that whenever you have been deployed today, you carry on with that zeal and commitment so that the objective and our mission as an institution will be accomplished,” he said.

On behalf of the newly promoted officers, Maj.-Gen. Suleman Idris thanked President Muhammadu Buhari and the military authority for counting them worthy for the promotion.