President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, led other prominent Nigerian leaders to lay wreaths at the Arcade, Abuja, in celebration of this year’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day.
Vice President Kashim Shettima represented Tinubu, who was the special guest of honour at the national arcade, venue of the activities marking the 2025 Armed Forces Celebration and Remembrance Day parade.
The president was in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. He had departed Abuja last Saturday to participate in the 2025 edition of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW 2025).
Shettima, led by Commander of the Guards Brigade, stood in for Tinubu.
The vice president led other senior government officials to lay the wreaths at the cenotaph, and he also performed the ceremonial release of white pigeons from the cage in commemoration of the event.
Top government functionaries at the occasion included Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa; service chiefs; and Inspector General of Police, KayodeEgbetokun.
Armed Forces Remembrance Day: Shettima, Akpabio, Abbas, Akume Lay Wreath At Arcade
Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume; President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio; Speaker of the House of Representatives, TajudeenAbbas, represented by his deputy, Benjamin Kalu; and Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, were also in attendance.
Present, too, were Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike; Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru; and members of the diplomatic corps.
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar; former Senate President, Dr. AbubakarSaraki; and former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, also celebrated the armed forces at this year’s remembrance day.
Across the states of the federation, governors likewise marked the 2025 Armed Forces Remembrance Day. They celebrated the military and their role in the democracy.
The Armed Forces Remembrance Day is an annual event organised by the Ministry of Defence to honour the country’s fallen heroes, who paid the ultimate price for the sake of humanity during the First and Second World Wars, the Nigerian Civil War, Peace Support Operations around the world, as well as various internal security operations.
In commemoration of the end of the Nigerian civil war on January 15, 1970, that date was chosen to mark the annual Armed Forces Remembrance Day in Nigeria.
Nigeria had previously marked the event on November 11 alongside other Commonwealth nations.