Ahead of Armed Forces Remembrance Day on January 15, President Bola Tinubu, alongside leaders of the National Assembly and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, donated a total of N320 million to the Nigerian Legion in support of veterans and families of fallen heroes.
President Tinubu contributed N200 million, while the President of the Senate, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, added N100 million on behalf of the National Assembly. Minister Wike donated N20 million. The donations were made at the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Emblem Appeal launch held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
During the ceremony, President Tinubu, Vice President, Kashim Shettima, the Senate President, the Deputy Speaker, and service chiefs were decorated with the remembrance poppy by the Chairman of the National Council of the Nigerian Legion, Morenike Grace Henry.
President Tinubu called on government institutions, businesses, and well-meaning individuals to support the legion, which caters to retirees and widows of fallen military heroes.
“As a grateful nation, we must honour the fallen, support the wounded, and care for all who answered the call to serve,” he said. “Armed Forces Remembrance Day, marked every 15th of January, is a reminder of the call to peace and the importance of unity”.
He commended the Armed Forces for their efforts in securing communities, highlighting the surrender of tens of thousands of insurgents, the neutralisation of key terrorist leaders, and the liberation of captives. He also noted improvements in maritime security, including reductions in oil theft, piracy, and illegal fishing, and reiterated his administration’s commitment to equipping and motivating the military.
President Tinubu further stated that his government has enhanced allowances, upgraded barracks, strengthened healthcare services, expanded the Defence Health Maintenance Services Limited, and modernised pensions verification through BVN and NIN integration.
In his remarks, Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, described the emblem as a symbol of support for fallen heroes and their families, thanking the President for improving military welfare and resources.
“When we wear this emblem, we say to our veterans, Nigeria remembers you. When we support the appeal fund, we affirm that Nigeria cares. When we stand together today, we declare that Nigeria will never abandon those who serve in her name”, Oluyede said.
Speaking further, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, Richard Pheelangwa, said the Remembrance Day honours the bravery and sacrifice of men and women who gave their lives defending the nation.
He commended the President for enabling the reopening of schools, markets, and communities in formerly conflict-affected areas, calling these restored moments “victories that often go unsung but remain deeply felt across our nation”.
