Founding of Nigerian Army

The history of the Nigerian Army dates to 1863, when Lt Glover of the Royal Navy selected 18 indigenes from the Northern part of the country and organized them into a local force, known as the “Glover Hausas”. The small force was used by Glover as governor of Lagos to mount punitive expedition in the Lagos hinterland and to protect British trade routes around Lagos. In 1865, the “Glover Hausa” became a regular force with the name “Hausa Constabulary”. It performed both police and military duties for the Lagos colonial government.