British High Commission commemorates Nigeria on Armed Forces Day

The British High Commission in Nigeria paid tribute to the Nigerian government on her Armed Forces Remembrance Day Monday. The day was set aside to celebrate patriotic soldiers who lost their lives in defence of the nation.

In a message delivered by Richard Montgomery, British high commissioner to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the commission recognized the sacrifice of the fallen heroes who played their part in fostering peace and ensuring citizens feel more safe and secure.

This day commemorates the servicemen and women of the Nigerian Armed Forces who have died in the line of duty, as well as the veterans of World War I and II and the Nigerian Civil War.

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“I and my colleagues want to thank the Armed Forces of Nigeria for their service. For working for the security of their country and the region. For working in partnership with the international community, including the UK,” he said.

We particularly pay tribute to those fallen in the service of their country who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. We will remember them. Thank you for your service.”

The Nigerian army and the UK army have a long-standing and close relationship, based on shared history, values, and interests. The UK has been providing training, equipment, and advice to the Nigerian army to help it combat the threats of terrorism, insurgency, and organized crime.

Such initiatives include The British Military Advisory and Training Team (BMATT), which has been operating in Nigeria since 2001, to train Nigerian army officers and soldiers in counter-terrorism, counter-insurgency, peacekeeping, leadership, and logistics.

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In 2015, more than 100 UK military personnel were deployed to Nigeria on training tasks ranging from one to eight weeks in length, providing training and advice in niche areas including countering improved explosive devices, infantry patrolling skills, civil-military cooperation and command, and leadership.

New commitments were also made in 2022 at the first-ever UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership dialogue with the establishment of Operation Turus, a UK military assistance mission that supports the Nigerian army in its fight against Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa (ISWA) in the North East of Nigeria.