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Armed Forces Remembrance Day: Buhari Asks Forces To Win War On Terror

  President Muhammadu Buhari has urged the Nigerian Armed Forces to ensure that they win the war against Boko Haram in the nation’s northeast. Advertisement … Continue reading Armed Forces Remembrance Day: Buhari Asks Forces To Win War On Terror


Nigerian Army

 

Muhammadu-Buhari-of-NigeriaPresident Muhammadu Buhari has urged the Nigerian Armed Forces to ensure that they win the war against Boko Haram in the nation’s northeast.

The President made the demand at the National Arcade on Friday via digital devices and live streaming equipment improvised by the Nigerian Army to enable him chat with soldiers in the northeast, as the military marks the Armed Forces Remembrance Day.

The event is used to honour the veterans who are alive as well as the families of the departed. It also featured inspection of Guard of Honour as mounted by the Guards Brigade.

Other government officials who joined the President in the laying of wreaths were Vice President Yemi Osibajo, Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Yakubu  Dogara.

The national troupe on war horses, heralded the coming of President Buhari into the National Arcade accompanied by the commander of the Guards Brigade for the review of the National Guard of Honour on parade

After the parade, the President and other special guests made a solemn movement straight to the tomb of the Unknown Soldier for the biggle

Prayers were said in Christian and Islamic formats for the repose of the souls of the departed and peace and unity of the country.

A minute silence in honour of the fallen heroes was also observed before President Buhari laid the presidential wreath followed by Vice President Osibajo, Dr Saraki, Mr Dogara, the Chief Justice of the Federation and the Defence Minister.

President Buhari further released the bells of pigeons and the balloons signifying the unfettered peace in the country.

One would have thought that the ceremony will end with the signing of the anniversary register by the President, but everyone watched as President Buhari, in what looks like an innovation, put a call across to the Nigerian soldiers in the war front, a call that was saluted with a joyous roar from the soldiers.

For more than six years Nigerian Armed Forces have battled Boko Haram terrorists mostly in the north-east States of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe.

Their activities have displaced over two million persons.

While addressing reporters, some of the special guests express confidence in the Nigerian Army.

Channels Television’s correspondent, Chukwuma Onuekwuzi, said that beyond the event everyone seemed to say that the Nigerian Armed Forces, living and dead, deserved further celebration and the gratitude of the nation for their past and on-going sacrifices in the service of their fatherland.

January 15 of every year has been set aside to celebrate fallen heroes of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

It is always celebrated with pomp and pageantry.

On this day, fallen heroes as well as veterans, who put their lives on the line as they fought in and through the first and second world wars, the Nigeria Civil War and peace support missions. Are honoured and remembered.

In Nigeria, the event was initially marked with a National Holiday on November 12 and later on the November 11 (popularly known as 11-11 or poppy day) so that it coincided with the World War II Veterans’ Remembrance Day in the British Commonwealth of Nations.

Much later, it had to be changed to January 15 in memory of the end of the Nigeria Civil War in 1970.

This year, it coincides with the 50th anniversary of the first military coup by Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu and four other majors on January 15, 1966.

The coup triggered a chain of other events that eventually snowballed into the fratricidal war of 1967 to 1970.