The Chairman of the Nigerian Legion, Lagos chapter, Mr Akeem Wolimoh, has appealed to all levels of government to prioritise the welfare of military veterans’ families in the country’s policy.
Wolimoh made the appeal during the Nigerian Legion Lagos Veterans’ Day celebration tagged “Happy Hour” , which held at the Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (NAFRC) Oshodi, on Friday in Lagos.
“The Nigerian Legion is an organisation established to take care of the military veterans and foster comradeship among ex-servicemen; which is one of the reasons we organised this event.
“This call to action underscores the need for sustained support and recognition of the sacrifices made by Nigerian military personnel and their loved ones,” he said.
The chairman said that such special attention should be in the areas of medical provision, education, training, accommodation, among other things.
“Ex-servicemen do not have enough time to take care of their families even while they were on active duty because of the commitment demanded from their job.
“Therefore, we should have a well packaged medical provision for families of military veterans as well as the education of their children for a better future for them.
“That is why I have called for a special focus in the nation’s policy towards these areas of the lives and families of ex-servicemen and our fallen heroes,” he said.
Wolimoh said that he had always called for an increment in allowance for the families of military veterans and those who had died on active duty to support their families.
“The present allowance is not sufficient, especially for the widows and orphans of our fallen heroes at such a time of rising cost of living.
“These widows and orphans get the entitlement after the demise of their benefactor. However, no matter what amount is released to them, it is usually not enough.
“So, an increment will go a long way at helping to ease the economic hardship been experienced in the country,” the chairman said.
He said that ex-servicemen still had enough to give and deliver regarding complementing the efforts of security agencies in the country.
“The most vibrant potential of ex-servicemen is their security intelligence because this is what they have gathered over the years while in service.
“Their exposure to regiment activities while in service is centred around security; invariably there is no limit to how impactful the Nigerian legion can be regarding security architecture of any community,” Wolimoh said.
The chairman said that the Nigerian legion had put in measures to check the excesses of legionaries in uniform, who engaged in illegal duties through the legion’s revalidation exercise.
“On assumption of office in 2022, we introduced the revalidation exercise which is still ongoing, so as to come out with an authentic list of our real members.
“The proliferation of fake members into the Nigerian Legion Corps of Commissioners has been in existence before we came to office.
“However, the revalidation exercise will help weed out the fake members in the legion and help check the excesses of legionaries in uniform who engage in illegal duties,” Wolimoh said.
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