Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum has donated N100 million to assist families of slain soldiers and those wounded in the ongoing fight against insurgency in the North East region.
The donation was made yesterday at an Eid-el-Kabir luncheon hosted jointly by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Olufemi Oluyede and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, at Maimalari Barracks in Maiduguri.
Governor Zulum presented a cheque of N100 million to the Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, Maj. Gen. Abdussalam Abubakar, saying that each of the soldiers wounded in action would be given N500,000 while the remaining amount would be distributed among families left by soldiers who died in action.
Zulum commended the resilience and patriotism of the Nigerian Armed Forces, emphasising that their sacrifices should never be forgotten.
He said, “Your commitment on the frontlines, often under extreme conditions and far from your families, is not lost on us. We remain eternally grateful for your service and will never take your sacrifices for granted.”
The governor assured the military leadership of his continued support, stating, “Borno State will continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Nigerian Army and all security agencies in the fight against insurgency and rebuilding our communities for a peaceful and prosperous future.”
Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, lauded the troops for the recent successes recorded in the North East theatre of operation.
Abubakar reiterated the commitment of President Bola Tinubu towards enhancing the capacity of the armed forces through the provision of modern arms, vehicles and equipment to ensure that the war against insurgency, banditry and other criminalities are brought to a logical conclusion within shortest possible time.
The CAS said the Sallah lunch with the troops including wounded soldiers provided a unique opportunity to appreciate the sacrifices, loyalty and camaraderie of the troops in the theatre and other operations across the country.
Earlier in his remarks, the Theatre Commander Operation Hadin Kai lauded the presence of the Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Air Staff at this year’s Sallah celebration.
