The Federal Government has officially redesignated Armed Forces Remembrance Day, observed annually on January 15, as Armed Forces Celebration and Remembrance Day.
The change was announced in a statement issued on Thursday by the Director of Defence Information (DDI), Maj.-Gen. Samaila Uba, who explained that the redesignation better captures the full significance of the day.
According to Maj.-Gen. Uba, January 15 is set aside not only to remember fallen heroes who paid the supreme price in defence of Nigeria, but also to honour serving and retired personnel of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN).
“January 15 is set aside annually by the Federal Government of Nigeria to honour the living personnel of the Armed Forces of Nigeria while acknowledging the sacrifices of those who have paid the supreme price to safeguard the nation’s territorial integrity, as well as the lives and property of its citizens,” Uba stated.
He noted that the former title did not adequately reflect the celebratory aspect of recognising the courage, commitment, and service of personnel still in active duty.
“The name has officially been changed to Armed Forces Celebration and Remembrance Day to better reflect the dual essence of the occasion — celebrating the living and remembering the fallen heroes,” he added.
Maj.-Gen. Uba urged media organisations to consistently adopt the new designation in all future reports and publications, while expressing appreciation for the media’s continued support of the Armed Forces in the fight against insecurity.
