In a powerful address that wove spiritual duty with civic responsibility, Major Tanimu Hamisu, the Chief Imam of Giginya Barrack Jumuat Mosque and Acting Deputy Director of Islamic Affairs for the 8 Division of the Nigerian Army in Sokoto, issued a profound call to the nation. Speaking during a special prayer service marking the 2026 Armed Forces Celebration and Remembrance Day (AFCRD), Imam Hamisu urged Nigerians to move beyond ceremonial remembrance and engage in sustained prayer and tangible support for the nation’s fallen heroes and their families.
The Imam framed the ultimate sacrifice of military personnel not merely as a national loss, but as a spiritual act of the highest order. Drawing from Qur’anic verses and prophetic traditions (Hadith), he reminded the congregation that those who die defending their community and nation—”safeguarding their communities and nations”—occupy a revered status in Islamic theology. “This theological context is crucial,” the Imam’s message implied, “for it transforms remembrance from a secular act of gratitude into a spiritual obligation. These men and women are not just soldiers; in the Islamic framework, they are considered ‘shuhada’ (witnesses/martyrs) whose sacrifice is recognized by the Divine.”
However, Imam Hamisu emphasized that prayer, while foundational, is only the first pillar of meaningful remembrance. He articulated a second, equally critical pillar: concrete, sustained support for the families left behind. He specifically highlighted the plight of widows and orphans within Army formations, whose loss is both personal and often compounded by economic and social challenges. His call went beyond occasional charity, urging a systemic societal effort to “inculcate moral values, ensure proper child upbringing, and foster productive living” within these families. This perspective reframes support as a long-term investment in the well-being of the heroes’ legacies—their children.
In a pointed and timely segment of his sermon, the Deputy Director issued a stark caution against complicity with forces that undermine the very security the fallen heroes died to uphold. He explicitly warned the public against supporting terrorists, bandits, and other criminals, delivering a unequivocal judgment: “describing informants as the same perpetrators of evils.” This statement directly connects community loyalty to national security, suggesting that true honor for the fallen requires active opposition to the threats they fought against. It was a call for unified national solidarity in contrast to the fragmented loyalties that fuel insecurity.
The event culminated in the practical application of these principles with the distribution of food to members of the barrack community and the needy—a demonstration of the communal care the Imam advocated. This act served as a microcosm of his larger message: that remembrance must be heartfelt, spiritual, and actively compassionate. By linking divine reward, national duty, familial support, and civic vigilance, Major Hamisu’s address provided a comprehensive framework for honoring Nigeria’s fallen military personnel, challenging the nation to translate annual remembrance into year-round moral and material sustenance for the living legacies of its heroes.
Reported by Habibu Harisu for the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
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