Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola and his Ogun counterpart, Ibikunle Amosun, have commended President Muhammadu Buhari, the military other security organisations for successfully engaging the Boko Haram insurgents in the North East.
The governors spoke yesterday at separate events to mark this year’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day in Osogbo and Abeokuta.Aregbesola noted that the nation would not forget the gallant soldiers and security officials who lost their lives to the anti-terror war.
Describing peace as indispensable means of existence, he acknowledged the roles security agents continuously play to engender peaceful coexistence among Nigerians and put the country on the path of greatness.
The governor stressed that the yearly event will be incomplete if the nation fails to retrace her past and encourage unity by deeds.He submitted that the best honour for the fallen heroes was ensuring that their efforts did not end in vain by guarding jealously guarding the constitution to prevent breakdown of law and order in the society.
“I must commend the efforts of our armed forces and other security organisations, particularly the Commander-in-Chief, President Muhammadu Buhari, the service chiefs, every soldier and security operative in the region, in subduing this group and for destroying its base in the Sambisa Forest.
“There are those who still daily fan the embers of religious discord, inciting one religious group against another. Even ordinary cases of law infraction requiring law enforcement action must be projected to fit into the narrative of ethno-regional and religious division in a way that promotes mutual antagonism and distrust,” Aregbesola stated.
According to Amosun, who addressed newsmen shortly after inspecting a special parade in Abeokuta, urged the citizenry to unite irrespective of gender, tribal, religious and political differences.
A statement by his Senior Special Assistant (Media), Mr. Adejuwon Soyinka, further said the governor statement released 57 white pigeons as a symbol of national peace, with each representing the state’s 20 local councils and 37 local council development areas (LCDAs).
The exercise was followed by a 21-gun salute to honour the departed soldiers.