Buhari remembers fallen heroes, commends troops for their sacrifice

President Muhammadu Buhari has commended troops for their sacrifice to the nation.

He also said those who died in the line of duty would not be forgotten.

He spoke at the national arcade in Abuja on Sunday, while performing the wreath laying ceremony for the 2017 Armed Forces Remembrance Day.

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo; Yakubu Dogara, speaker of the house of representatives; and Walter Onnoghen, acting chief justice of Nigeria, were among the dignitaries at the event.

Buhari spoke via video-conference to troops in Sambisa forest, and United Nations Mission In Liberia (UNMIL), and the air force base In Yola, Adamawa state during the event.

He encouraged them to keep doing the nation proud, saying his government was solidly behind them.

“Good morning officers and men of the 7th division of the Nigeria army. You have done Nigeria a great pride. Your success was received spontaneously by all Nigerians,” he told those in Borno.

“I congratulate you and thank you very much for the honour done to the country and to us. Well done! I wish you and your families well and I hope that you are in touch with your families.

“I wish you more success and please maintain the standard of discipline and efficiency. Thank you very much indeed.”

To troops in Liberia, he said: “Good morning General (Salihu Uba, force commander for the United Nations Mission in Liberia). We thank God and we thank technology.

“I can see you and I can hear you. I am impressed with the turnout of your men and I thank you for keeping the flag flying on the performance of Nigerian military in the United Nations peacekeeping operations.

“God willing as you briefed us, in 2018, the last contingent of Nigeria troops in Liberia will come back. I sincerely wish them a successful operation and I wish the general the best of luck.”

He said he gets briefings on the activities of the troops in Yola.

Like he said to those in Borno and Liberia, he commended the Adamawa troops.

“I get regular briefing from your chief of air staff. Your performance speaks for itself and you have raised the morale of your colleagues in the military especially the army,” he said.

“With your hi-tech performance and platforms, we have been able to restore the sanity and the territorial integrity of Nigeria; I congratulate you.

“For the officers and men, you know you cannot be over-trained. With your hi-tech outfit, training has to be continuous and I am very pleased with the initiative that you have taken in maintenance of equipment.

“It is very encouraging and a boost to our morale here. I congratulate you and please pass my message to your families that we are very mindful of their patience and anxiety whenever you are in the field.”