Nigerian president urges military to help maintain peace, stability

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday awarded decoration to 48 newly promoted senior military officers and called on the armed forces to help maintain peace and stability in the country. The president decorated 23 major-generals, 13 rear admirals and 12 air vice-marshals at a ceremony held in Abuja. Jonathan said peace was essential for Nigeria to achieve the objectives of the Transformation Agenda and become one of the top 20 economies in the world by 2020. The leader praised the peacekeeping operations of the armed forces in some crisis areas of the country, and urged the officers and soldiers to redouble their efforts to maintain peace and stability in those areas.8 He also said the 2011 general elections were held in a free and fair atmosphere thanks to the support of the armed forces.