***As Senate donates N5.5m to fallen heroes
The President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan has said that Nigerians are indebted to the armed forces for the sacrifices that they have made to the growth and development of the country.
According to Lawan, the Armed Forces deserve support from Nigerians for the sacrifices they have put in place in tackling various forms of insecurity across parts of the country.
Speaking yesterday in Abuja while receiving a delegation of the 2022 Armed Forces Decorations team in his office, the President of the Senate said that the armed forces in its bid to secure and protect Nigerians against the activities of insurgents and criminals, continue to pay the ultimate price which has resulted in countless deaths of exceptional military personnel.
Lawan said, “It is important that we appreciate the sacrifices done by our armed forces, especially those who have been directly affected and their families.
“I believe that the same story obtains on the efforts by the armed forces to fight insurgency, militancy, banditry and many other forms of security challenges within our borders.
“Presently, our armed forces are involved on many fronts. What is expected of us as citizens and institutions are to continue to support our armed forces, especially the legion in whatever way we can.
“Therefore, it is an opportunity for us to also make our own contribution to this annual and very important event of remembering our armed forces.”
The President of the Senate who noted that the National Assembly on its part would support the military by ensuring that sufficient funds are appropriated to cater for security in the 2022 budget under consideration by the legislature, said, “I want to commend our armed forces for working so hard with so little to fight different shades of insecurity in our country.
“As a Parliament, we are very conscious of one fact, that given your commitment to fighting for the security of this nation and our people, we must continue to provide significant resources to our armed forces for them to be able to do better than what they are doing.”
Lawan on behalf of the upper chamber, donated the sum of 5 million to the fallen heroes, while he gave the Nigerian Legion N500,000 in his individual capacity.
Earlier, the leader of the 2022 Armed Forces Decorations Team, Major General Abdulmalik Jibril (Rtd), said that the team paid the visit to the President of the Senate in accordance with a directive given by President Muhammadu Buhari during the armed forces remembrance day celebration.
Jibril who is the National Chairman of the Nigerian Legion added that the visit was also intended to solicit support for the cause of the fallen heroes of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Those on the delegation included Group Captain Kayode Abe (Rtd), Secretary-General Nigerian Legion; President, Military Widows Association of Nigeria, Mrs Gift Veronica Aloko; and Deputy Director (Veteran Affairs), Defence Headquarters, Brigadier General Sunday Makolo;
Others were Dr Aisha Lemu, Board of Trustees member, Military Widows Association of Nigeria; Mr Thompson Ahuchaogu, Ministry of Defense; and Jane Iworisha.
The leader of the decorations team, thereafter, decorated the President of the Senate with the Armed Forces Remembrance Day emblem.
Senators also decorated were the Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege, Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi, Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, Deputy Majority Leader, Ajayi Boroffice, Deputy Minority Whip, Abdullahi Danbaba, and Chairman, Committee on Appropriations, Barau Jibrin.
VANGUARD
