Vice President Kashim Shettima on Wednesday led a delegation comprising Senate President Godswill Akpabio, members of the Federal Executive Council, and the National Assembly to pay tribute to the nation’s fallen heroes in Abuja.
The event, held at the National Arcade, Abuja, marked the climax of the 2025 Armed Forces Celebration and Remembrance Day (AFCRD).
The solemn ceremony featured the laying of wreaths, attended by service chiefs, members of the diplomatic corps, and other dignitaries.
Vice President Shettima was the first to lay a wreath, followed by Senate President Akpabio; Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, representing Speaker Tajudeen Abbas; and Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kerere-Ekun.
Other participants included the Minister of Defence, Muhammed Badaru; Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike; Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle; and heads of the military and police, including the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa.
Representatives of the Nigerian Legion, members of the diplomatic corps, and widows of fallen soldiers, led by Mrs. Olubunmi Ese-Okiti, Interim President of the Military Widows Association (MIWA), also laid wreaths.
The ceremony concluded with a symbolic three-volley gun salute, a tradition rooted in the battlefield custom of honouring the dead.
The week-long celebration began with a Jumma’at Prayer on January 10 at the National Mosque and an interdenominational Christian service on January 12.
Other activities included a social and awards evening for soldiers, a regimental dinner and award night for officers, lectures, art exhibitions, and displays of locally produced military equipment organized by the Defence Headquarters.
These events highlighted the nation’s appreciation for the sacrifices of its armed forces and its commitment to honouring their legacy.
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