By Joy Baba- Yesufu
Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Kenneth Minimah has dispelled allegations that military officers who died in the fight against insurgency are buried discreetly or in mass grave.
Minimah who was reacting to questions raised on the allegations at a press briefing said that every military personnel who died in action are given a befitting military burial in the closest national cemetery to the battle field.
This is just as the Minister of Defence, Lieutenant General Aliyu Gusau has said that the essence of the annual Armed Forces Remembrance Day (AFRD) celebrations is to reaffirm the fact that the nation remains grateful to all those who laid down their lives and to show that their death was not in vain.
Gusau stated this at the press briefing to mark the beginning of the AFRD 2015 at the National Defence Collge Abuja, with the theme ‘Appreciating the Nigerian Armed Forces’.
The Minister also said the theme is a special one because it coincides with Nigeria’s greatest security challenges in recent times adding that the celebration is to show relations of departed officers that the nation is with them by paying annual respect.
Chairman of the Nigerian Legion, Col Micah Gaya, in his remark, said only N20 million has so far been redeemed out of N105 million that was pledged by various individuals during the 2014 Armed Forces Remembrance Day.
This, he noted was responsible for the inability of the military authorities to lay foundation for the fallen heroes’ village.
