By Nathaniel Zacchaeus, Abuja
The Chief Whip of the Senate, Ali Ndume, has commended President Bola Tinubu for conferring posthumous awards on soldiers slain by yet-to-be-identified assailants in Okuama, Delta State.
Ndume gave the commendation in a statement made available to journalists yesterday in Abuja.
He said, “Each man now belongs to the hallowed list of servicemen and women who defended our country and protected their fellow Nigerians, not minding the risk to their own lives,” he said.
Ndume, while hailing Tinubu for the gesture, said that by attending the funeral, the President has demonstrated that he is patriotic.
He called on political leaders and Nigerians to put their differences aside and unite in honouring the fallen heroes.
Ndume also called on the Chief of Defence Staff to emulate President Tinubu and confer posthumous medals on the fallen heroes, too.
He said, “I commend President Bola Tinubu for attending the funeral of the soldiers slain at Okuama and for awarding their children full scholarships, as well as presenting houses to their survivors. Every Nigerian should commend this patriotic and respectful gesture. Nobody could deserve it more.
“Our Armed Forces are the guarantors of the Nigerian state and our last defence against the forces of disunity and impunity.
“I hope we can put aside our political differences and stand together as one in honour of our fallen heroes. The Chief of Defence Staff should also posthumously award the departed soldiers’ medals for bravery and courage under fire.”
