The Armed Forces Remembrance Day is an annual event to celebrate fallen heroes as well as veterans who sacrificed their lives as they valiantly fought in and through the first and second World Wars, the Nigeria Civil War and peace support missions. These men laid down their lives in the service of Nigeria.
The Armed Forces Remembrance Day is marked annually on the 15th of January in Nigeria. The event was initially marked on the 11th of November (popularly known as 11-11 or POPPY day) so that it coincided with the World War II Veterans’Remembrance Day in the British Commonwealth of Nations. It had to be changed to January 15th in memorial of the surrender of Biafran troops to the Federal troops which took place on the 15th of January 1970 and brought an end to the Nigerian Civil War.
In preparation for the event, a national planning committee was inaugurated earlier (on the 20th September 2013) by the Federal Government. They were charged to work tirelessly to make the event a remarkable success.
Other activities to mark the event include the emblem launch and pledge to assist the Nigerian Legion by Enugu State Governor, Sullivan Chime. There were also cash donations by the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Securities and Civil Defence Corps and the Nigerian Immigration Service in the state to support the Legion. The celebration will get to its peak on the 15th January, 2014 when wreaths will be laid to honour fallen heroes.
