…The Defence Minister paid tribute to fallen soldiers who paid the ultimate price in service to the nation,
ABUJA, NIGERIA- The iNews Times | Defence Minister, retired General Christopher Musa, has said Nigeria is going through a period of testing due to multiple security challenges across the country but expressed confidence that the nation will overcome them.
Musa spoke as a clergyman, Most Rev. Uche Dan Okafor, urged members of the Nigerian Armed Forces to resist any temptation to undermine democratic governance, unlike developments in some other West African countries.
The Defence minister acknowledged that Nigeria continues to face threats from terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and other criminal activities, but said the armed forces, police, and other security agencies remain committed, resilient, and determined to confront the challenges.
He spoke at an interdenominational thanksgiving church service held in Abuja at the National Christian Centre to mark the 2026 Armed Forces Celebration and Remembrance Day.
Describing the occasion as a time for worship, reflection, and remembrance, Musa said Nigerians had gathered in hope, trusting in Godβs promises. The Defence Minister paid tribute to fallen soldiers who paid the ultimate price in service to the nation, saying their sacrifices would never be forgotten and remained permanently recorded in the nationβs history.
The Defence minister also commended serving personnel and their families, particularly the spouses who, he said, continued to uphold the home front with strength and dignity. He assured them that their welfare remained a priority.
Musa said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was committed to ensuring that the Armed Forces and other security agencies were properly equipped, motivated, and cared for to enable them carry out their constitutional duties effectively and professionally. He added that the Presidentβs actions reflected the value he placed on service and sacrifice, while thanking security personnel for their continued resilience.
In his sermon, Rev. Okafor called on the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, and other service chiefs to uphold democracy and protect Nigeriaβs constitutional order. He described insecurity as discouraging but urged members of the Armed Forces not to lose heart, noting that their work in combating crime amounted to service to God.
He expressed confidence that Nigeria would overcome terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping, predicting that sponsors and financiers of criminal activities would soon be exposed. Okafor also urged the military to remain neutral as the country approaches the 2027 general elections and cautioned against any consideration of coups amid recent military takeovers in parts of West Africa.
The clergyman thanked members of the Armed Forces and other security agencies for their sacrifices, saying their efforts allowed Nigerians to go about their daily lives without fear.
Also speaking at the event, Senate President Godswill Akpabio assured that the National Assembly, working with the Executive, remained committed to restoring Nigeria as one of the most peaceful and secure countries in Africa. Represented by the Deputy Chief Whip, Senator Peter Nwebonyi, Akpabio said the sacrifices of fallen and serving personnel strengthened the resolve to build a safer, stronger, and more united nation.
He described the sacrifices of fallen heroes as the foundation of national unity, peace, and progress, stressing that Nigeriaβs diversity and constitutionally guaranteed freedoms of religion and conscience must always be protected.
Akpabio said history would judge leaders not only by their words but by their actions, and prayed for eternal rest for fallen heroes as well as divine protection and strength for serving officers and men of the Armed Forces and other security agencies.
