By Umar Faruk
Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, Nigeria — Jan 11, 2026(Series News Online)
As Nigeria prepares to mark its Armed Forces Remembrance Day, Christian denominations across Kebbi State have held special prayer sessions to honor the nation's fallen heroes. Congregations gathered to pray for the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the unity and security of the country.
In Birnin Kebbi, services were held at several churches, including the Good News ECWA Church, UMCA in Badariya, and Saint Luke's Anglican Church in Makerar -Gandu. During the service at the Anglican Church, the Vicar, Venerable Samuel Ali Lekwot, delivered a powerful message emphasizing the nation's debt to its armed forces.
"It is incumbent on Nigerians to always remember the fallen heroes who paid the supreme price for the sake of the nation," Venerable Lekwot told the congregation. He stressed that remembrance must go beyond prayers, urging citizens to support the families left behind. "We must also be compassionate and benevolent to their families by caring for them in nourishment, education, health service, and general wellbeing."
Highlighting the ongoing conflicts, the Vicar praised the resilience of current service members. "Right now, our gallant troops are fighting in the bush and becoming targets of the enemy to keep us safe in our homes, and they have not despaired," he affirmed, noting that Nigeria's continued existence as a "single entity in brotherhood is a result of the sacrifice by men and women of our armed forces."
Series News Online reports that Venerable Lekwot also issued a direct and urgent appeal to the federal government, calling for a more decisive approach to the nation's security challenges. "The government must act decisively and incisively to restore normalcy and harmony," he urged, suggesting a state of emergency be declared on security.
"Without security, the citizens will live in perpetual fear, afraid to move about, and cannot survive properly," the cleric stated, adding that "insecurity has impacted negatively on the nation's quest for foreign investment, with attendant consequences on her economic prosperity." He concluded with a stern warning: "Anybody found undermining security anywhere in the Federation should be punished severely for the survival of the country and a better future."
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