There are growing concerns about a potential clash between retired military personnel and the Federal Government over a proposed bill aimed at addressing their welfare and representation.
The PUNCH reported on Saturday, that the retirees are planning to stage another protest, similar to the one they held last December at the Ministry of Finance over unpaid entitlements, this time at the Ministry of Defence.
The bill, which is currently under review by the Defence Headquarters and the Ministry of Justice, has been stalled due to controversial clauses, particularly those relating to rank-based appointments.
One of the main points of contention is a provision that assigns leadership roles within veterans’ organizations based on military rank, such as appointing a Major General as the national chairman, a Colonel as the state chairman, and a Major as the local government chairman.
Despite objections from the retirees about these provisions and others, the Ministry of Defence has continued to move forward with the bill.
A prominent leader within the military retirees’ community, Aliyu Umar, explained in an interview on Friday that the push for the bill stems from the inadequacy of the Nigerian Legion, which was originally set up to represent veterans.
He noted, “The Nigerian Legion, which was originally established to represent and cater to veterans, has long been compromised. It has turned into a self-serving institution with no accountability, alienating all surviving military veterans.”
He continued, “This failure has led to the proliferation of independent veterans’ associations, as veterans no longer trust the Legion, especially with its significant civilian infiltration. The Coalition of Concerned Veterans has already assumed many responsibilities abandoned by the Legion.”
Umar suggested that the solution to the problem lies in the creation of the Veterans Federation of Nigeria , stating, “The solution lies in establishing the Veterans Federation of Nigeria. Under the VFN, veterans would democratically elect their leaders, ensuring fair representation and accountability.”
The retirees are growing increasingly frustrated with the delays in finalizing the bill and the imposition of provisions they deem unfair.
Umar warned, “If the government continues to delay the establishment of the VFN and fails to remove the contentious clauses, veterans are prepared to embark on a nationwide protest that will persist until their demands are met. We will replicate what some of our members did last year at the Ministry of Finance at the Ministry of Defence.”
The Ministry of Defence has not commented on the issue, and attempts to contact the ministry’s spokesperson, Henshaw Ogbuike, and the Defence Headquarters’ Director of Information, Brig. Gen. Tukur Gusau, were unsuccessful.
