Date: 2020-12-17

The Kwara chapter of the Nigerian Legion, on Wednesday, appealed to Gov AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to come to the aid of the widows of the fallen heroes in the state to make life easy for them.

The Chairman of the legion in the state, Brig.-Gen. Aliyu Akano (rtd), made the appeal at the launching of the Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration and Emblem Appeal Week, in Ilorin.

He also called on the governor to provide a befitting office accommodation for the legion and Corps of Commissionaires, a Hilux pick-up for patrol and an 18-seater bus to convey members to their duty posts.

Akano also solicited for cash donations to the legion to cater for the families and dependants of the fallen heroes.

"Your Excellency, I can confirm to you that among the 19 northern states in Nigeria, it is only the legion in Kwara that has no vehicle given to them by the state government.

"The last one given to us 40 years ago was Peugeot 504 station wagon by the then military governor, Col. Jauji Kazir, which is no longer functioning. The Kwara chapter of the Nigerian Legion, on Wednesday, appealed to Gov AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to come to the aid of the widows of the fallen heroes in the state to make life easy for them.

The Chairman of the legion in the state, Brig.-Gen. Aliyu Akano (rtd), made the appeal at the launching of the Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration and Emblem Appeal Week, in Ilorin.

He also called on the governor to provide a befitting office accommodation for the legion and Corps of Commissionaires, a Hilux pick-up for patrol and an 18-seater bus to convey members to their duty posts.

Akano also solicited for cash donations to the legion to cater for the families and dependants of the fallen heroes.

"Your Excellency, I can confirm to you that among the 19 northern states in Nigeria, it is only the legion in Kwara that has no vehicle given to them by the state government.

"The last one given to us 40 years ago was Peugeot 504 station wagon by the then military governor, Col. Jauji Kazir, which is no longer functioning.

"If Your Excellency can give us a vehicle, it will remain indelible in the heart of all the Kwara legion of ex-servicemen," Akano said.

He described the Armed Forces Remembrance Day as an annual event in memory of the fallen heroes of the World Wars, the Nigerian civil war, peace-keeping operations in some African countries and insurgency.

"The Nigerian Armed Forces played significant roles to bring peace to the affected countries.

"To this great occasion, it is not by mere mourning with lip service, but by sincerely and heartily remembering these Nigerian great heroes for their patriotism in fighting and dying for the unity of this country.

"I appeal to all and sundry to please donate generously to the coffers of the legion, with the hope that God will bless you abundantly," the chairman said.

The governor, who was represented at the occasion by the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Deborah Aremu, described the Day as a period for sober reflection for the fallen heroes.

He appealed to people to donate generously to the emblem appeal week.

The Commandant of Corps of Commissionaire of the Nigerian Legion, Olusegun Omolale, said that the organisation was facing a lot of challenges, chief of which was the issue of functional office accommodation and operational vehicles.

Omolale, who is also the Director, Human Resources and Public Relations of the legion, called on the governor to provide the organisation with office accommodation, equipped with computers and furniture.

"We request for monthly subvention/stipends from the state and local government councils to sustain the statutory mission and vision of the Nigeria Legion in the state.

"We humbly request for two units of Toyota Hilux double cabin and two units of 14-seater Toyota Hiace bus for effective security operations and supervision of the branches in all the 16 local governments in the state, especially during periodical screening exercise," Omolale added.

The commandant expressed the regret that for more than 40 years, successive governments had abandoned the legion in the state.

Omolale listed the functions of the legion to include school crimes prevention, disaster management and mounting surveillance at both private and public infrastructure.

Others, he said, were humanitarian services and empowerment programmes for widows and dependants of the fallen heroes as well as promotion of welfare of ex-servicemen.

He called on the state government to use members of the legion's security guard service in schools and other public buildings and institutions.