Akwa Ibom state government said it has built 168 blocks for the Nigerian Army Battalion at Ibagwa in memory of the sacrifice of soldiers who lost their lives in the service of the nation.
Speaking in Uyo on Sunday at the Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration, Governor Udom Emmanuel recalled the supreme sacrifices of Nigerian soldiers in different battles to save the nation
He observed that soldiers are not commensurate rewarded with the price they paid to secure the integrity and sovereignty of the Nigerian state.
“Here in our State, we have, as a mark of appreciation for the huge sacrifices our gallant Men and Officers of the Nigerian Armed Forces have made, in ensuring we enjoy peace and security in our State and also recognizing the scarifies they have equally made in various theatres of operation across the nation and internationally, remodelled, and construct 168 blocks of flat to the Nigerian Army Battalion in Ibagwa.”
Udom disclosed that the state was honoured as Nigeria’s best security and safety state during the last African Security Summit in Banjul, Gambia last year.
“We have also helped in the construction of internal roads and residential blocks of flats at the 2nd Brigade of the Nigerian Army Headquarters in Mbiokporo, Nsit Ibom, as well as the donation of gunboats for Marine Response Unit, all of which led to our State being awarded Nigeria’s Best Security and Safety State during the last African Security Summit in Banjul, The Gambia last November.
Read Also: APC crisis: Onyeama, Nnamani, Chime, other party leaders boycott Tinubu rally in Enugu
“I am eternally grateful for the cooperation we have received from the Nigerian Security Services in the course of my administration, as we begin the process of handing over the baton of leadership to my Successor whom I am convinced will carry on this tradition of gratitude we have shown for the service these heroic patriots have given to our State and the nation.”
He reminded Nigerians that the incidents leading to the loss of lives by the gallant soldiers are still lingering especially the clamour for separation which weaken the cords of national unity.
” As we honour these great patriots, let us be reminded that the factors that led to the various wars they participated in, or the internal operations to secure our peace for which they paid with their lives are still with us.
“All across the nation, some rhetoric that enlarges the chasm of separation and weakens the cords of our national unity are still being propagated and amplified through various echo- chambers.”
He noted that the diversity which should form a rainbow of strength of national life is being exploited for narrow political advantage, while zero-sum game tactics are still being employed and deployed all over the nation.
He warned politicians not to threaten the unity of the nation as the 2023 general election draws near.
“As we get ready to elect our new set of leaders, I urge our political class to understand that we need the country to be one indissoluble entity, in order for our aspirations for leadership to be actualized. We must not threaten the unity of this nation for the narrow desire to be in power.
“If these gallant men and women paid the ultimate price for us to remain in peace and harmony, we must also pay them a corresponding price of appreciation and gratitude by ensuring that the cords of our unity, justice, equality, fairness and love remain our abiding articles of faith,” he said.
Follow The Trumpet on all our social media platforms for more updates:
