Fubara Calls for Improved Welfare for Veterans, Total Victory over Insurgency
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has called for improved welfare for military veterans and a united national resolve to achieve total victory over insurgency, stressing that the sacrifices of Nigeria’s armed forces must go beyond annual remembrance ceremonies.
The Governor made the call on Thursday in Port Harcourt during the grand finale of the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration, where he urged Nigerians to honour fallen heroes by building a society anchored on justice, equity and shared responsibility.
Reflecting on the enormous cost of Nigeria’s peace, Governor Fubara noted that from the First World War to contemporary operations in the Sambisa Forest, Nigerian soldiers have consistently risked their lives to defend the nation’s sovereignty. He recalled the heavy human toll of military service, stating that over one million soldiers were lost during the Nigerian Civil War, while many others continue to die in active service across the country.
The Governor acknowledged prevailing security challenges nationwide and paid tribute to troops confronting Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East, bandits in the North-Central region, and pipeline vandals in the creeks of the South-South.
“We celebrate our armed forces for their extraordinary sacrifice, loyalty and unwavering dedication to the unity, peace and progress of Nigeria as one indivisible nation,” he said. “The freedoms we enjoy today are safeguarded by their blood and sacrifice.”
Governor Fubara commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his commitment to strengthening the military, citing the provision of modern weaponry and improved welfare packages as factors driving recent gains against insurgency and terrorism.
“Let us not reduce their sacrifices to a mere memorial ritual, but strive to uphold the values for which they fought and died—peace, justice, unity and national cohesion,” he added.
He pledged continued support for the military and the Nigerian Legion, assuring that his administration would prioritise the welfare of families of fallen heroes, including their spouses, children and parents. In fulfilment of an earlier commitment, the Governor directed the Secretary to the State Government to commence the employment process for 50 wards of legionnaires and fallen heroes.
Governor Fubara also challenged the private sector, corporate organisations and affluent individuals to support veterans and their families through scholarships and employment opportunities.
In his remarks, the Acting Chairman of the Nigerian Legion in Rivers State, Acc Kuu Aminkipo Promise, thanked the Governor for sponsoring the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration, describing it as historic and lauding the N100 million donation by the state government. He prayed for divine guidance for the Governor in delivering good governance.
Earlier, at the wreath-laying ceremony held at the Cenotaph in Isaac Boro Park, Governor Fubara inspected a guard of honour mounted by the Army, Navy, Air Force, Police and the Nigerian Legion. The Governor, his Deputy, the Chief Judge, service chiefs and the Chairman of the Traditional Rulers Council laid wreaths in honour of fallen heroes, after which the Governor released a pigeon to symbolise peace.
