Remembrance Day: Tight security as Buhari, Osinbajo honour fallen heroes

The grand finale of the 2018 Armed Forces Remembrance Day ceremony was held in Abuja on Monday amidst tight security. President Muhammadu Buhari; Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo; President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen; and the nation’s service chiefs were among the dignitaries that attended the event. The event that lasted about an hour was held at the National Arcade, opposite the Eagle Square, Three Arms Zone, Abuja. The road leading to the Federal Secretariat was shut to traffic throughout the duration of the programme that saw Buhari and some of the dignitaries laying wreaths in honour of the fallen heroes. On arrival at the arcade, the President inspected a military parade before proceeding to lay a wreath in honour of the fallen heroes. Others who laid wreaths at the ceremony included Osinbajo, Saraki, Dogara, Onnoghen; the Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali; Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Muhammed Bello; service chiefs and the Inspector-General of Police, representative of the diplomatic corps; representative of the fallen soldiers’ widows and a representative of the Nigerian Legion. The event also witnessed a minute silence for the fallen heroes, 21-gun salute, the release of pigeons to signify peace and the signing of the anniversary register by the President. Buhari had on November 1, 2017 inaugurated the anniversary emblem and an appeal fund with a call on Nigerians not to allow the country to witness another civil war by their actions and inactions. He said the step was necessary considering the immense human capital loss of the civil war. The President said, “The resolve by our countrymen and women to remain in one indivisible and indissoluble nation, Nigeria, is at the centre of this celebration.