A plea has been made by a group of retired Nigerian soldiers who valiantly fought during the Civil War, urging the federal government to fulfill their outstanding pension arrears.
In total, 63 retired Nigerian Army soldiers, enlisted between 1967 and 1978, are voicing their dismay over the failure to receive their entitled pension payments despite President Muhammadu Buhari’s sanction of N134.7 billion for military veteran pensions in 2020.
This plea was articulated through a statement issued by Alhaji Bello Oseni, the secretary representing the retired soldiers. Oseni disclosed that although their documentation was validated by the Military Pensioner Board back in 2023, they are still awaiting their rightful dues.
Their distressing predicament is exemplified by the fact that these retired soldiers, aged between 76 and 85, are grappling with financial challenges, with some even residing in houses originally constructed by their forefathers in the 1920s and 1930s.
Appeals have been directed towards former presidents, the Senate, the House of Representatives, senior advocates of Nigeria, human rights activists, and influential figures, imploring them to intervene and facilitate the retrieval of their long-overdue pension payments.
Specifically addressing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Senate, and the House of Representatives, the retired soldiers are fervently requesting their assistance in this matter. Moreover, they are urging civil societies to take up their cause and champion their quest for justice.