Aregbesola supports Armed Forces Remembrance day, donates N2.5m

Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State on Tuesday donated N2.5 million to support the Nigerian Armed Forces Emblem as part of activities marking the Armed Forces Day.

Aregbesola said the actvities were to strengthen courage, patriotism and gallantry of the men of the armed forces who lost their lives in the discharge of their duties to their motherland.

He said Nigerians must hold serving and retired members of the armed forces with high esteem.

“We must ensure that the memories of those who paid the price are kept alive and remembered in order to show our heartily concerns.

“These military personnel have placed their lives online and that is what makes their work sacred for the defense of their fatherland to protect the civilians.

“The emblem, being launched every year, symbolises our commitment to honouring our falling heroes during pre-independence and post-independence till date,” he said.

Aregbesola said that Nigerians must not lose sight of the opportunity to reflect on the current predicaments in Nigeria.

He advised men of the armed forces not to lose sight as an institution, but to prevent external threat and internal disorder and security breakdown which could serve as threat to the happiness of Nigerians.

Earlier in his address, Mr Salmatu Alimi, the Chairman, Nigerian Legion in Osun State, pleaded with the Federal Government to pay arrears and pensions of retirees of the Nigerian Armed Forces, especially the balance of the 20 per cent being awaited.

Alimi said Nigerians must remember families of those left behind by falling soldiers and also called for support of the Federal Government not to relent in putting smiles in faces of retirees.

He said Armed Forces Remembrance Day should be a period to express concern to those who lost their lives during the first and second world war, the biafra to insurgency and ethno-cultural crises in Nigeria.

Alimi, however, pleaded with the state government to provide buses, acquire land and other necessary requirements.

NAN reports that the event was attended by top government officials including those in military and para-military, the Nigeria Police, the Prison Services, the Custom Service and other stakeholders.