Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, has launched a new digital platform known as “Thank A Soldier”, aimed at strengthening public appreciation for members of the Nigerian Armed Forces and their families.
Speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday in Abuja, Badaru said the initiative forms part of the preparations for the 2026 Armed Forces Celebration and Remembrance Day (AFCRD).
He explained that the interactive app, accessible via a QR Code, will allow Nigerians to send personalized messages, words of encouragement, and tributes to serving troops and families of fallen heroes.
According to the minister, the 2026 commemoration — themed “Valour, Sacrifice and Unity: Honouring Our Heroes” — is designed to deepen national gratitude for the selfless service and sacrifices made by military personnel in defending Nigeria’s unity and territorial integrity.
“The celebration offers an opportunity to renew the bond between our military and the civilian population through remembrance, service, and solidarity,” Badaru said.
He announced that key activities for the celebration will include the National Emblem Appeal Launch by President Bola Tinubu on November 27, as well as interfaith prayers, a humanitarian outreach day, a national symposium, and the wreath-laying ceremony on January 15, 2026.
Badaru added that this year’s observance would involve greater participation from youths and civil society organizations to promote civic engagement and patriotism.
> “We are telling our soldiers — and their families — that Nigeria remembers, appreciates, and stands with them,”
the minister stated.
He commended President Tinubu for his continued backing under the Renewed Hope Agenda, pledging that the Defence Ministry would sustain reforms aimed at improving national security and the welfare of service members.
Badaru urged Nigerians to wear the remembrance emblem with pride, emphasizing the need to “honour our past, support our present, and secure our future.”
On military operations, the minister reported that the Armed Forces had neutralized over 13,000 terrorists and criminals, rescued nearly 10,000 hostages, and arrested more than 17,000 suspects nationwide since President Tinubu assumed office.
He also disclosed that over 100,000 Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters and their families had surrendered, while ongoing joint operations had dismantled about 1,900 illegal refining sites in the Niger Delta, curbing oil theft and maritime crimes through improved naval and air surveillance.
“Synergy among the Army, Navy, and Air Force, supported by new acquisitions and local defence production, has boosted our counterterrorism and counterinsurgency capabilities,” Badaru added.
He noted that recent investments in modern armoured vehicles, naval vessels, and unmanned aerial systems have strengthened the military’s capacity to tackle evolving threats.
> “The liberty, peace, and stability we enjoy are secured daily through the courage of our men and women in uniform — those serving, those who have served, and those who paid the supreme price,”
Badaru said in tribute to the gallant troops.
