January 4,2025.
There were indications of a looming showdown yesterday between retired military personnel and the Federal Government over the alleged imposition of a bill designed to address their welfare and
representation.
According to reports, the retirees were planning to shut down the Ministry of Defense, as they did last December at the Ministry of Finance over unpaid entitlements.
The bill, currently under review by the Defense Headquarters and the Ministry of Justice, has been bogged down by reported contentious clauses, notably those concerning rank-based appointments among others.
Meanwhile, speaking during an interview with newsmen, a leader of the military retirees’ community, Aliyu Umar, explained that the need for the bill stemmed from the ineffectiveness of the Nigerian Legion which was originally established to represent and cater to veterans, but has now been turned into a self-serving institution with no accountability, alienating all surviving military veterans.
