Buhari, Osinbajo, Saraki, Dogara, Onnoghen Other Lay Wreaths For Fallen Heroes

Eniola Olayemi

President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday led other top government officials and Service chiefs to lay wreaths in honour of soldiers who died in service in Nigeria and at international assignments.

The ceremony was to mark the 2019 Armed Forces Remembrance Day.

January 15th every year is also dedicated to remembering and appreciating surviving Nigerian military men who have retired from active service.

It was the fourth time President Buhari as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces was laying the wreath in a democratic setting.

Buhari was clad in white ‘Babanriga’, just like Osinbajo, Senate President Bukola Saraki, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara,

The wreaths-laying ceremony at the National Arcade in the Three Arms Zone in Abuja came after over a month that the 2019 Armed Forces Remembrance Day emblem and Appeal Fund was launched by the President.

The brief ceremony started around 11.00 a.m. when President Buhari arrived the National Arcade and inspected the guard of honour.

Christian and Muslim prayers were offered for the departed souls and the nation.

One minute silence was observed in honour of the departed souls and there was gun salute during the wreath-laying ceremony.

Vice President Osinbajo, Saraki, Dogara, Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen, Minister of Defence, Dan Ali Mansur, were among top government officials who also laid wreaths.

Others that laid wreaths include Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Mohammed Bello, Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai and other service chiefs, Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris (performing his last official role).

President Buhari also signed the register and led the dignitaries to release white pigeons at the no speech making ceremony.
Top government officials, including cabinet members, attended the ceremony