By Polycarp Ifeanyi, Onitsha
As part of activities marking this year’s Armed Forces Celebration and Remembrance Day, the Nigerian Army has extended humanitarian gesture to less privileged in Onitsha, Anambra State.
The gesture was led by the Commander, 302 Artillery Regiment (General Support), Onitsha, Colonel BM Yakubu, alongside officers and men of the regiment.
The team visited several locations within the Onitsha metropolis, where they distributed cooked meals, bottled water and assorted soft drinks to less privileged persons and other residents to mark the Armed Forces Celebration and Remembrance Day.
Speaking after the exercise, Colonel Yakubu said the initiative was aimed at celebrating the Armed Forces Remembrance Day with the people, especially the less privileged, while honouring fallen heroes.
According to him, the gesture was also designed to strengthen civil–military relations and create awareness that the military exists to protect and serve civilians.
“The Army is for the people. Our operations are in the interest of civilians, and we are always ready to partner with everyone to improve the security situation in the state. We are friends of our host community, and this initiative is meant to draw the people closer to us,” he said.
Colonel Yakubu noted that the security challenges facing the society require collective efforts, stressing that neither the military nor civilians can address them alone.
“The days when civilians kept their distance from the military are gone. Today’s security realities demand collaboration. We need information and cooperation from the people to succeed in our operations,” he added.
He recalled that during the Nigerian Army Day Celebration in 2025, medical outreaches to communities and the distribution of writing materials to some selected schools were carried out.
The commander assured that such humanitarian gestures would continue whenever the opportunity arises, while commending the collaborative efforts of other security agencies in the state, he urged the general public to be part of the peace and security process in the state.
Some beneficiaries expressed gratitude for the gesture. Mrs Ifeoma Okoli prayed for God’s protection over Colonel Yakubu and his men, describing the event as heart-warming.
Similarly, Mr Linus Ibe Okoli described the commander as a benevolent officer and prayed for divine blessings upon him and his troops. “The peaceful festivities wouldn’t have been enjoyed without the collective efforts of the security agencies in the state” he added.
Also speaking, Hon. Emmanuel Uche, who witnessed the exercise, described it as unprecedented and urged the Army to sustain the initiative.
