The Secretary of the Nigerian Legion, Lagos Chapter, Col Nasiru Salami, on Wednesday shed light on the status of the Nigerian Legion particularly the welfare of its members, as the country celebrates Armed Forces Day.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, Salami said the Nigerian Legion is been managed by retirees of the Army, Navy and Air Force. “We try to protect our nation as we are called.”
The 78 years old war veteran narrated how he joined the Nigeria Army on October 20th 1967 and was introduced into the civil war some months after, and was severely injured by the Ojukwu Bucket.
On the issue of welfare, Salami explained how poorly they have been treated by The federal government. But according to him, what the legion is asking for is their war bonus – “Those of us that fought the civil war, we are asking for war bonus”
“I retired in December 1983, the day Gen Muritala and Idiagbon took over the government from Shagari. That was the day we finished at settlement centre.”
“They promised us heaven and earth – that they will give us our war bonus because it was already written on our paper that – those of you that joined army in 1967, 1968, and 1969 will be given the bonus. Since then we have not been paid the war bonus”
According the Salami, some of the members of the Legion have died, leaving their families suffering.
He also added that they have over twenty-four thousand registered members in Lagos
Speaking on what the legion wants from the government,, Col Salami thanked the state government, particularly, Lagos State government for supporting the retirees with monetary quarterly allocations, but the federal government have not been doing anything for us, he said
“We want the Ministry of Defence to direct all states to recorgnise the Nigerian Legion by giving us job opportunities, at least for those of us that are still physically okey ”
“The local governments don’t recognise us. They allow us to come in but they don’t give us something to do. They are paying some people N15, 000 per month. What What are they to do with that?”
Speaking on the type of jobs the retirees can be engaged with, Salami explained that not all retirees are general detailed officer, citing himself as a clerical officer and a confidential typist, and “that was how I became the secretary of the region.”
“We have all skills in the army but they don’t give us that chance, rather when they hear ex-soldier, its about being at the gate without giving us the chance to carry out our experience and knowledge. ”
Salami recounting his experience in the army said “he will never recommend any of his children to join the Nigerian army.”
According to him, the children will be seeing him as not living up to their expectation as a retired soldier. He however stated that even if they decide to join the military, then it should be the Navy or Air Force because they are treated better than than the army.
Speaking on what should change in the army, the veteran said that our soldiers are using useless rifles to fight the Lakurawa terrorist that use sophisticated weapons. “When they range, they can see up to a mile while our soldiers cannot see beyond quarter of a mile”
Government should come to the aid of soldiers fighting insurgency in the country, he added
Salami called on the federal government to employ the five million military men promised by president Tinubu to form more divisions, brigades, battalions to man all our boundaries.
