President Bola Tinubu has cancelled the celebration for his 72nd birthday slated for Friday, March 29, 2024, in honour of 17 soldiers and six police officers killed in Delta.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Sunday, March 24.

Onanuga noted that Tinubu in deference to the challenging times will not host any birthday event and does not want any of his associates and numerous well-wishers across the country to organise any celebratory event on his behalf or in his name.

The presidential spokesman said Tinubu appreciated the honour of being the leader of Nigeria at this time, adding that he is working very hard to make life better for Nigerians.

He quoted the president as saying that because of the present mood of the nation and recent killing of military personnel and police officers in Delta State and the recent spate of security breaches by criminal elements in different parts of Nigeria, there should be no form of birthday event and placing of birthday goodwill advertorial messages in newspapers.

Gunmen kill 6 policemen in Delta ambush

“Goodwill messages should not be placed on radio and television stations too,” the presidential spokesman added.

According to him, President Tinubu enjoins friends and associates who may wish to place goodwill advertorials to kindly donate the money to charity organisations of their choice in his name.

“Although the president appreciates the gallantry of our armed forces in freeing our children kidnapped in Kuriga, Kaduna State and in Sokoto State, he will use the opportunity of his birthday to reflect and re-dedicate himself to the task of building a more stable, more secure, virile, prosperous and united Nigeria,” Onanuga said.

The Star had, on Saturday, March 23, reported that gunmen killed no fewer than six police officers in an ambush at the Ohoro Forest in Delta State.

Six other police officers were also declared missing by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in a statement on Saturday, disclosed that the policemen were killed in an ambush by gunmen while undertaking a mission to investigate the disappearance and rescue three of their colleagues at the Ohoro Forest.

The incident came barely a week after 17 soldiers were killed in Okuama community in Delta State.

The soldiers were on a peace-keeping mission to quell community clashes in the state when the incident occurred on March 14.

The Star