A group, Goodnews Nigeria (GN) has said that President Bola Tinubu’s omission of the former Military Governor of Kaduna State, Colonel Abubakar Dangiwa Umar (rtd), from National award list was an injustice, following his contribution to the nation’s democracy, growth and development.

The group, therefore, drew the attention of President Tinubu to the contribution of Umar, whom the members said doggedly fought for the enthronement of democracy in the country.

The Chairman of Goodnews Nigeria, Dauda Mbaya, in a statement on Friday, said: “What about the unsung heroes of the June 12 struggle?. One of such persons is Colonel Abubakar Umar Dangiwa (Rtd.). A man of rare courage. A man who stood on the side of truth at a time when most people in uniform were either silent or complicit. He was not a politician. He was not a civilian activist.”

He further stated, “He was a serving military officer who dared to speak out against the injustice of the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election. That election, won by MKO Abiola, was regarded far and wide as the freest and fairest in Nigeria’s history. It was a defining moment that could have transformed our country, but instead, it was stolen in broad daylight by the very institution that was meant to protect the people’s will.”

Mbaya said: “Colonel Umar (rtd) did not keep quiet. As a Military Governor of Kaduna State and a respected voice in the military, he used his position to challenge the decision of the ruling military council. He criticised the annulment openly and called for the restoration of Abiola’s mandate. In doing so, he challenged not just General Ibrahim Babangida, who orchestrated the annulment, but also General Sani Abacha, who later took over and unleashed a reign of terror on pro-democracy forces.”

He remarked: “Colonel Dangiwa Umar knew what it meant to stand alone in the military. He knew the risks; dismissal, detention, or even death. But he chose to speak truth to power. And for that, he paid dearly. His military career was cut short. But his name should never be forgotten. He is one of the unsung heroes of June 12,” he stressed.

The group lamented: “Not even a mention of Colonel Dangiwa’s name on democracy day. This is not just an oversight. It is an injustice. If we truly value the democracy we now enjoy, if we understand the weight of what was lost and what was fought for, then we must remember all who contributed. Not just the popular names. Not just those who were part of political organisations or whose profiles were high. But also those who acted alone.”

Urging Tinubu to address the omission of Umar from the award list, Mbaya said: “This is why the time has come for Nigeria, under President Bola Tinubu, who himself was a target of the military and a major figure in the June 12 resistance, to set the record straight. He has the moral and historical obligation to make sure that no hero of June 12 is left behind. He must remember them all. He must tell their stories. He must honor their bravery.”

“We are saying that Colonel Abubakar Umar Dangiwa deserves national recognition. His role in challenging the military dictatorship must be acknowledged with an award befitting his uncommon bravery,” he stressed .

He said, “And to the families of unsung heroes, to the men who still carry the scars of their sacrifice in silence, and to the ones whose dreams were cut short in the name of justice, we say; one day, this nation will remember you, not with silence, but with honor. And on that day, your courage will shine as brightly as any other name in the golden book of Nigeria’s freedom.”