President Bola Tinubu has congratulated former military president, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, IBB, his 84th birthday.

In a statement issued on Sunday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu described the former military head of state as a key figure in Nigeria’s socio-economic and political development.

The president highlighted Babangida’s military career, noting his roles as instructor at the Nigerian Defence Academy, Commander of the 4 Reconnaissance Regiment and Armoured Corps, Director of Army Staff Duties and Plans, and later Chief of Army Staff.

Tinubu recalled that Babangida’s administration was marked by major infrastructure projects, including the Third Mainland Bridge, as well as reforms that liberalised the Nigerian economy.

He also noted the establishment of the State Security Service, National Intelligence Agency, Defence Intelligence Agency, and the Federal Road Safety Corps during Babangida’s tenure, alongside the creation of new states and the relocation of the Federal Capital from Lagos to Abuja.