They paid the supreme prize to make the nation peaceful. Very few were, however, able to prevent water from flowing freely from their eyes on Friday when the nation bade them farewell.

Signs that Nigerians and indeed the military are mourning emerged early on Friday along the Sheu Musa Yar’Adua way, Abuja as the often desolate military cemetery opened it’s gate and military vehicles snaked into the military graveyard.

Suddenly, the bodies of the 20 Military personnel killed in the recent crash of the Nigerian Air Force MI-171E Helicopter in Niger state arrived at the cemetery from Kaduna at noon for the funeral at the National Military Cemetery, Abuja.

The burial ceremony was conducted for the 20 deceased personnel in line with military tradition. In military tradition the ceremony signifies a mark of honour for their gallantry and sacrifice in defence of the nation.

The ceremony involved the laying of a wreath by the two ministers and the presentation of the National Flag to the next-of-kin of the deceased personnel by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Christopher Gwabin Musa and service chiefs.

It was gathered that some of the fallen heroes had since been buried in other locations. Three officers and 22 soldiers were killed in an ambush in the Zungeru general area of the state while seven were wounded in action.

The NAF helicopter was on a mission to evacuate the deceased and wounded troops when it crashed at the Chukuba area of Shiroro Local Government Area of the state on 13 August.

The crashed helicopter was conveying 14 bodies of the previously killed soldiers and seven wounded ones, two pilots and two crew members.

The burial was attended by the Minister of Defence, Muhammed Badaru; Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle; Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Christopher Musa; service chiefs, families and well-wishers of the fallen heroes.

The Governors of Kaduna and Niger States were represented at the funeral.