PRESIDENT BUHARI APPROVES PAYMENT OF BIAFRA WAR VETERAN

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the payment of pension to soldiers, policemen and paramilitary officers involved in the civil war between 1967  till 1970.


The Pensions Transition Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) announced in a statement on Wednesday, sajd that the payment will commence on Friday, October 20, in Enugu .

“The general public would recall that Nigeria witnessed an ugly civil war between July 1967 and January 1970 and as a result of that unfortunate period in our history, some members of the armed forces, the Nigeria police and the paramilitary officers who took part with the secessionist were dismissed from the service,” the statement read.


“The dismissal of those officers was commuted to retirement in year 2000 through a presidential amnesty granted on 29th May, 2000 by the administration of the then President Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR.

“A verification exercise was conducted for the pardoned officers by the defunct Police Pension Office and recently PTAD on one hand and the Police Service Commission on the other.

“Despite the presidential pardon and verification of these officers many of them remained unpaid years after the pardon. However, the present administration under the able leadership of president, C-in-C of the armed forces, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, has graciously given approval for the payment of pension entitlements to these officers and their next of kin.

“PTAD is commencing the payment of pension benefits to the retired war affected police officers on Friday 20th October, 2017 in Enugu. 162 officers will be payrolled and 57 Next of Kin who have also not been paid their death benefits will be paid in the first batch.”

OBITUARY: FORMER CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF GENERAL VICTOR MALU DIES @ 70

A former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Victor Malu , 70,has died. Malu who served under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, died in the early hours of today , 9th of October  at a hospital in Cairo, Egypt.

The former ECOMOG Commander (Peace Keeping Force), from August 1996 to January 1998, was Chief of Army Staff during former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration May 1999 to April 2001.

Malu chaired the military tribunal that tried former Chief of General Staff and Vice Chairman Armed Forces Ruling Council  Gen. Oladipo Diya and others in 1998 over alleged coup plot against the then head of state, Gen. Sanni Abacha.

May his soul rest in peace Amen. 

"THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH NIGERIA BUT LOT IS WRONG WITH NIGERIANS"~~ OBASANJO

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday expressed his strong opposition to calls for the restructuring of the country saying  there was nothing wrong with Nigeria to warrant the raging clamour for restructuring or dismemberment.

The former president who was reacting to comments made by the Palace Chief, Brown Mene, at the palace of Olu of Warri, His Majesty, Ogiame Ikenwoli, who spoke on behalf of the throne that the Itsekiri people were marginalised by the Nigerian state said “There is nothing wrong with Nigeria, but a lot is wrong with Nigerians. We need to correct what is wrong with Nigerians and you become an accomplice if you fail to say what is right”.

His words: “The point I note of your dissatisfaction is that in spite of history and in spite of the current situation of marginalization of your interests and desire, you never asked to be separated from Nigeria. “When I was president, some people from Ogun state visited Aso Rock to complain that they were also marginalised. There is nothing wrong in asking for more share of the national cake but it is unacceptable for anyone to say that the only way out is separation.

Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo “We can solve all our problems through dialogue, debate, discussion, conversation. I participated in the civil war. It was gruesome, destructive, deadly. Those clamouring don’t know what war means. I swore never to be part of it again. They say in my place that he who sees Sango (god of thunder) fighting, destroying with fire will never want to see Sango in his element again.

“The answer to most of our problems is mindset change and change of mentality. If we need any restructuring, it is the restructuring of our mindset and mentality. How will anybody in his right senses believe separation in the way out? We have passed that stage. We have problems, there are many ways we can solve them. It is our diversity that make us a great country. I won’t want a Nigeria where we dance same juju, or wear same attire. Our strength is in our diversity.

 “Some progress is being made in spite of our difficulties and problems. We need to make greater progress than we have made before. If we do that, we will have good governance. There should be no impunity, everybody must have a sense of belonging, a stake in this project called Nigeria. Dismemberment of Nigeria is not good enough. Inequality, injustice, unfairness, impunity are not good enough and should be substituted”.


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