President Buhari, Osinbajo, Saraki, Dogara others lay wreaths to commemorate Armed Forces Remembrance Day

President Muhammadu Buhari and vice President professor Yemi Osinbajo, on Tuesday led a team of government officials and dignitaries to participate in the laying of wreaths in honour of soldiers who laid down their lives for the country.

Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, and the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, also joined in laying of wreaths to mark the 2019 Armed Forces Remembrance Day.

Top government functionaries and the service chiefs, the out-going Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, as well as representative of the diplomatic corps and wife of one of the dead soldiers also laid wreaths at the cenotaph of the unknown soldiers.

It was the fourth time Mr Buhari as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces was laying the wreath in a democratic setting.

The wreaths-laying ceremony at the National Arcade in the Three Arms Zone in Abuja came after over a month that the 2019 Armed Forces Remembrance Day emblem and Appeal Fund was launched by the President.

The brief ceremony started around 11.00 a.m. when Buhari arrived the National Arcade and inspected the guard of honour.

Christian and Muslim prayers were offered for the departed souls and the nation and a minute silence was observed in honour of the departed souls.

Others dignitaries that participated in the laying of wreaths include the Chief of Defence Staff, Dan Musur-Ali, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Mohammed Bello.

Buhari also signed the register and led dignitaries to release white pigeons at the no-speech-making ceremony.