By Our Correspondent,Kaduna
The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd), OFR, and the Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Mohammed Matawalle, MON, on Saturday attended the Combined Passing-Out Parade of officers drawn from the 73 Regular Course, Short Service Course 49 (Army), Direct Short Service Course 34 (Air Force), and Branch Commission Course 3 (Air Force).
The ceremony, held on Saturday, September 26, 2026, brought together senior military officers, government officials, dignitaries, families and well-wishers to mark the successful completion of military training by the graduating officers.
The Defence Minister and Minister of State for Defence joined other dignitaries at the colourful military ceremony, which was led by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, who represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, as the Special Guest of Honour.
The combined passing-out parade marked another significant milestone in the professional development of officers trained to serve in Nigeria’s Armed Forces.
The graduating personnel comprised cadets from different commissioning streams, reflecting the continued efforts of the Nigerian military to strengthen its officer corps through regular, short-service and direct-entry training programmes.
General Musa, who attended the ceremony alongside Dr Matawalle, joined other senior officials in witnessing the formal parade and commissioning activities as the graduating officers demonstrated the discipline, precision and military bearing acquired during their training.
The event also underscored the importance attached by the Federal Government and the military authorities to professional training, leadership development and capacity building within the Armed Forces.
The presence of the two Defence Ministers further highlighted the role of the Ministry of Defence in supporting the Armed Forces in the training and development of personnel required to respond to Nigeria’s evolving security needs.
Representing President Tinubu, Speaker Abbas led other dignitaries at the ceremony and conveyed the importance of the occasion to the graduating officers and their families.
The passing-out parade provided an opportunity to recognise the dedication and sacrifices of the officers throughout their training, while formally ushering them into the operational structure of the Nigerian Armed Forces.
The graduating officers are expected to deploy the knowledge, leadership skills, discipline and professional competencies acquired during their respective training programmes in the service of the nation.
The combined parade also reflected the integrated nature of Nigeria’s defence structure, bringing together officers trained for service in the Nigerian Army and Nigerian Air Force.
For the graduates, the ceremony marked the transition from intensive military training to professional service, with the responsibility of contributing to national defence, territorial integrity and the protection of citizens and national interests.
The occasion was attended by senior military commanders and other dignitaries who joined the Defence Minister, Minister of State for Defence and the representative of the President in celebrating the achievement of the graduating officers.
