Akwa Ibom gov laments over neglect of ex-service men

Udom Emmanuel, governor of Akwa Ibom state, says the love and support Nigeria has shown ex-service men who risk their lives in defence of country is not proportionate to the many selfless sacrifice the men and women of the Armed Forces have offered in service to the country.

Speaking at the 2022 Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration in Uyo, the state capital, Emmanuel noted that it is one thing for the nation to gather every year to eulogise patriotic and brave men and women, and another thing to truly honour them.

Quoting Ronald Reagan, he advocated that “if words cannot repay the debt we owe these men, surely with our actions we must strive to keep faith with them and with the vision that led them to battle and to final sacrifice”.

“Perhaps it is pertinent to ask: Have we rewarded these brave and gallant men and women who even as we speak are being shot at, attacked and killed by such non-state actors as Boko Haram, bandits, agents of separatist movements or those who are at different theatres of war outside our shores?” he asked.

“Have we correspondingly appreciated and rewarded them for their labour and sacrifices? What have we done to show in practical terms that the labour, the toil, the psychological scars, the emotional trauma which invariably led to such post-war stress syndrome as depression, suicide etc., were not in vain?

“The brave warriors we are honouring today, believed in something, an ideal or causes higher than their collective or personal interest, and that’s why they elected through volunteerism, not by conscription to sign up to fight for the preservation of our territorial integrity against foreign or domestic enemies.”

He explained that Akwa Ibom has shown, in practical terms, deep appreciation for the sacrifices the gallant patriots made.

“We are grateful for the deep collaboration we have enjoyed from the Nigerian Armed Forces especially those with command locations in our State, such as the 2 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, and other arms of the Services. That we are nationally celebrated as one of the most peaceful States in the nation is a testament to the cooperation we have received form the Armed Forces and other allied security agencies”, he said.