By Najib Sani
Bauchi
Retired officers of the Nigerian Army under the aegis of the Nigerian Legion have lamented the “token sums being paid to them by the federal government as monthly pensions,” decrying that the money was insufficient.
The newly elected Bauchi state chairman of the legion, Idris Danjuma Ningi, made this lamentation known yesterday when he led his executive council members to a courtesy visit to the Commander, Garrison of the 33 Artillery Brigade, Bauchi, Christopher Ugwu, at the Shadawanka barracks.
Ningi, who disclosed that some of the ex-officers received the meagre amounts of 20, 000 – N30, 000 as pension, complained that, apart from being small, the pension funds were not being paid in time to his members.
“It is unfortunate that the ex-service men who sacrificed themselves to keep the country united and secured are not being rewarded now. Some of us receive as little as N20, 000 or N30, 000 as pensions, which is not enough for us to take care of our families”, he decried.
He therefore appealed to the authorities concerned to consider their challenges and increase the pensions with a view to improving their welfare.
Responding, the Garrison Commander, Ugwu expressed appreciation to the members for the visit and promised to channel their requests to the appropriate authorities.
