Mbah Reaffirms Support To Members, Families Of Armed Forces

Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has reaffirmed his administration”s commitment towards improving the welfare of the Nigerian Armed Forces, fallen heroes, and their families.

Mbah gave the commitment on Thursday during the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day and Wreath-Laying Ceremony at the Okpara Square, Enugu. He described the January 15 of every year as “a solemn day when Nigerians must pause, reflect deeply, and acknowledge the price paid by the nation’s heroes so that other citizens may live in safety”.

He said, “We reaffirm our commitment to supporting the Armed Forces and their families. This support goes beyond ceremony. It is reflected in practical care, in advocacy, and in partnership with the Federal Government to ensure that those who serve, and those who have served, are treated with respect and care.

“On this day of remembrance, we honour those families who continue to carry their memory. And we recommit ourselves to the values for which they served: unity, discipline, service, and respect for human life.”

Mbah said the wreaths laid in their honour were “to remind us of the responsibility to live as citizens worthy of the sacrifices our heroes made for us.”

He said the sacrifices of the Nigerian Armed Forces transcended an annual ceremony and should always be borne in the hearts of all Nigerians.

“When a soldier falls, the loss does not end at the battlefield. It enters homes. It settles into families. It is borne in the human heart and becomes part of daily life for those left behind.

“Grief does not announce itself outwardly; it is carried for a lifetime by spouses, parents, brothers, sisters, and by children who grow up holding memories instead of hands,” he said.

The President, Military Widows Association of Nigeria, Enugu State chapter, Mrs Sarah Ugwuabonyi, commended Governor Mbah for caring for the welfare of military widows and their families in the state. She called for jobs and skills to further relieve them.

Highpoints of the event included the inspection of a guard of honour by Governor Mbah, as well as the laying of wreaths on the cenotaph of the Unknown Soldier and the release of pigeons by the governor in their honour.

Others who laid wreaths included a representative of military widows, Mrs Fatima Umar; and General Officer Commanding 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General O. A. Fadairo.