. The Nigerian Civil War affected the size of
the Federal Guards like other formations in
the NA. When the war broke out in 1967, and
particularly following the Biafran incursion
into the Mid Western State in August 1967, there
was mass recruitment into the Nigerian Army
to contain the emerging threat. The Federal
Guards Commander was therefore authorized to
recruit and train his own soldiers to beef up
its strength. Troops from the Federal Guards
were thus among the first Federal soldiers to
move to Ore to stop the Biafrans from marching
through the western states to Lagos. It also
played a vital role in the operation of 3 Marine
Commandoes and later the 2 Infantry Division.
The troops exhibited valour and resilience which
led to the halting of the Biafran advance into
Ibadan and Lagos. If not for this gallantry
probably the history of the war and Nigeria
would have been different from what it is today.
Within 3 years of its existence, the Federal
Guards grew to a brigade strength and was renamed
Brigade of Guards in 1968 under the command
of Late Lt Col JN Garba (Later Maj Gen).
4. At the end of the Nigerian
Civil War on 15 Jan 1970, 20 Infantry Brigade
was disbanded and its personnel posted to boost
the strength of the Brigade of Guards to 4 Battalions.
These battalions were, 1 Guards Battalion Ikeja,
2 Guards Battalion Owode, 3 Guards Battalion
Bonny camp and 4 Guards Battalion Epe, the Headquarters
remained at Dodan Barracks but later moved to
the location of 4 Infantry Division at 3 Kofo
Abayomi Street in Lagos.
5. With the movement of the
Presidency to Abuja on 11 Dec 1991, Brigade
of Guards was renamed Guards Brigade. The Brigade
is responsible for the security of the President
of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Federal
Capital in collaboration with other security
organizations. The elements of the Brigade have
also demonstrated its capacity to adequately
support the civil authority in the maintenance
of law and order through their operations in
distressed parts of Nassarawa State. It also
provides ceremonial parades such as Guard of
Honour for visiting presidents, Presentation
of Letters of Credence to ambassadors designates,
National and Change of Guard Parades. Some of
the Brigade activities captured in pictures
are enclosed.
6. The Mascot of the Guards
Brigade is the black scorpion. The choice of
this small and presumably insignificant arachnid
took some thoughts. This is because at the time
the mascot was chosen in the early 1970s, the
Federal Guards was the smallest unit in the
Nigerian Army in terms of strength but with
a very high degree of potency. However, it was
felt that the scorpion’s sting was not
only painful but poisonous which keeps its antagonist
abay. The Guards Brigade emblem is made of Green-Red-Green
colours with the red running diagonally from
left to right in a broad stripe. The green colour
signifies the land on which the infantry soldier
operates. While red signifies the blood that
each personnel of Guards Brigade is prepared
to shed as supreme sacrifice to the country,
Nigeria.
7. Officers and Soldiers of
Guards Brigade have always maintained a high
standard of regimentation. The troop’s
mode of dressing stands them out as a constant
reminder of what every personnel of the Nigerian
Army should look like. Their distinct lanyard,
emblem, scorpion gilt, plume, drill boots and
for the officers the Guards Brigade walking
stick which was approved by General Yakubu Gowon
in 1968 distinguishes the Brigade from others.
Many units have had the privilege to serve under
Guards Brigade; these include 1,2,3,4,6,7,26,81
and 123 Battalions. The Brigade is organized
into a Brigade Garrison, 4 Guards Battalion
and 177 Guards Battalion.
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