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Boko Haram: Yobe Cancels Armed Forces Remembrance Day

The insecurity bedevilling Yobe State forced the ex-service men in the state and the state government to cancel the final activities lined up for the … Continue reading Boko Haram: Yobe Cancels Armed Forces Remembrance Day


President Goodluck Jonathan laying the wreath in Abuja

The insecurity bedevilling Yobe State forced the ex-service men in the state and the state government to cancel the final activities lined up for the 2013 Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration in the state.

President Goodluck Jonathan laying the wreath in Abuja

The annual event which was held across the country as a mark of respect for the fallen heroes with a special parade by serving and ex-servicemen as well as the 21 gun salute in honour of the departed heroes was not observed in Yobe state.

Journalists and other guests who had gathered at the usual playground for the annual event went home disappointed as no serving, ex-serving soldiers or government officials were present at the venue.

Members of the Boko Haram sect had relentlessly staged series of attacks in the north east state with the last being an attack on a patrol van of the Joint Task Force (JTF) in the state on Monday in Ngelzarma town of Fune Local Government area of the state.

The chairman of the Nigerian legion in Yobe State; Zachary Garba told Channels Television in Damaturu that the usual parade and other activities for the grand finale could not hold because of the insecurity situation in the state.

He however revealed that the state chapter of the legion has planned big for the widows in the state as well as some welfare scheme for its members from the money realized at the emblem week launching.

The Yobe State Governor; Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam has earlier donated N5Million to the legions as well as houses and Hajj seats to the ex-servicemen during the launching of the emblem appeal fund held late last week.

Both serving and ex-servicemen are targets for the sect since the commencement of the Boko Haram insurgency that has affected the state in the recent times.