President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has conferred the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) on retired Colonel Abubakar Dangiwa Umar, a prominent advocate of democracy and key figure in the June 12 struggle.
The announcement was made during the commissioning of 100 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses in Kaduna.
Colonel Umar, known as a “Soldier of Democracy,” was notably absent from the June 12 Democracy Day honours roll, sparking widespread concern given his outspoken opposition to the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election.
Tinubu explained that Umar’s omission was an unintentional oversight and apologized, saying, “The omission of Colonel Dangiwa Umar from the Democracy Day honours list was not intentional. It was a regrettable oversight, and I apologise.
Today, I correct that by announcing the conferment of the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) on him.”
As a former military governor of Kaduna State, Umar gained national acclaim for his principled stand during Nigeria’s pro-democracy movement in the 1990s.
Tinubu praised Umar’s bravery and dedication to justice, affirming that his role in Nigeria’s democratic history remains indelible.
