The Nigerian Army Day is an annual event typically held on 6 July in honor of members of the Nigerian Army, especially those that took part in the World War I and World War II as well as those that lost their lives during the Nigerian Civil War and the current serving member of the Nigerian Army. The celebration so marked the history of the Nigerian Army. The 2015 celebration was held at

Maiduguri Maiduguri is the capital and the largest city of Borno State Borno State is a state in the North-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, bordered by Yobe to the west, Gombe to the southwest, and Adamawa to the south while its eastern border form ...

, the birthplace of

Boko Haram Boko Haram, officially known as ''Jamā'at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da'wah wa'l-Jihād'' ( ar, جماعة أهل السنة للدعوة والجهاد, lit=Group of the People of Sunnah for Dawah and Jihad), is an Islamic terrorist organization ...

to boost the morale of the Nigerian Soldiers, combating the insurgency and 128 imprisoned members of Boko Haram were released as part of the celebrations.

History

The history of the Nigerian Army Day may be traced back to 1863 when the "

Glover Hausas The Glover Hausas or Glover's Hausas or Glover's Forty Thieves was a local military group, primarily consisting of freed Hausa slaves assembled by John Hawley Glover in 1863 to protect the Royal Niger Company from marauding incursions of the Ashan ...

" was formed by the late British War veteran,

John Hawley Glover Sir John Hawley Glover (24 February 1829 – 30 September 1885) was a Royal Navy officer who served as Governor of Lagos Colony, Governor of Newfoundland, and Governor of British Leeward Islands. Naval career He entered the service in 1841 ...

who organized and assemble the freed Hausa slaves to protect the Royal Niger Company from marauding incursions of the

Ashantis The Asante, also known as Ashanti () are part of the Akan ethnic group and are native to the Ashanti Region of modern-day Ghana. Asantes are the last group to emerge out of the various Akan civilisations. Twi is spoken by over nine million Asant ...

. The assemblage of this youth to repel the invasion of intruders marked the formation of the ''Nigerian Army''. On 6 July was adopted to marked the Nigerian Army day because it was believed that the ''Glover Hausas'', that metamorphosed to the Nigerian Army, today was formed on 6 July. The history of the day can also be traced back to 6 July 1967, the day the Nigerian Civil War began. In 2013, during the celebration in Ogun State, southwestern Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, the former President of Nigeria declined the Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun's request to lay a wreath at the event centre in Abeokuta on the basis of the fact that he was not listed as one of the people to perform the wreath-laying for the fallen heroes.

References

{{Reflist Public holidays in Nigeria Nigerian Army