The Federal Government has pledged to immortalise Nigerian soldiers who died during peacekeeping operations in Liberia and Sierra Leone, following calls by veterans for better recognition of their sacrifices.
The Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, gave the assurance on Friday when he received a delegation of retired officers who served under the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.
According to a statement by the minister’s media aide, Leah Katung-Babatunde, Musa acknowledged the human and financial costs of Nigeria’s participation in the regional military operations.
He said the government remained committed to preserving the sacrifices of the troops, particularly those who died during the missions.
The minister also promised to complete efforts to document the force’s history, including casualty records and historical assets, to ensure that the contributions of Nigerian personnel were preserved for future generations.
The statement quoted Musa as reaffirming the government’s commitment to “immortalising the legacy and sacrifices of ECOMOG.”
He added that personnel who “paid the supreme price” during the operations in Liberia and Sierra Leone would not be forgotten.
The pledge followed an appeal by the leader of the ECOMOG veterans’ delegation, retired Major General Ohifeme Ejimai, who called for stronger efforts to preserve the force’s history and recognise fallen soldiers.
Ejimai briefed the minister on the activities of the veterans and the condition of surviving Nigerian personnel who served under the regional force.
He said the veterans remained willing to contribute to national development and security but urged the government to address gaps in the documentation of ECOMOG’s operations.
The retired general also called for the designation of a remembrance day in honour of the hundreds of Nigerian soldiers who died during the missions.
ECOMOG was established by the Economic Community of West African States in 1990 as a regional peacekeeping and peace enforcement force.
Nigeria played a leading role in its operations, which sought to restore stability and constitutional order in Liberia and Sierra Leone during periods of violent conflict.
However, the defence minister’s announcement did not specify the form the proposed immortalisation would take or provide a timeline for completing the documentation of casualties and historical records.
