The Senate Committee on Code of Conduct, Ethics and Public Petitions, frowned at the military on Tuesday over delay in payment of insurance benefits to dead and retired personnel.
It, specifically, declared as unacceptable that 174 families were facing the brunt of such delays in the Nigerian Airforce (NAF) alone.
This is even as it prevented NAF officers led by Wing Commander Mohammed Saleh, from arresting Master Warrant Rukayat Ajoke Ishola who petitioned the Senate on non – payment of her husband’s insurance benefits and alleged maltreatment by the Airforce authorities since the demise of her husband, Warrant Officer Daramola Taiwo in April 2016.
Senate’s displeasure at delay in payment of insurance benefits by the military to its dead or retired personnel, followed consideration of the petition filed against NAF by Master Warrant Officer Rukayat Ishola.
Ishola, in the petition, alleged that payment of insurance benefits of her late husband was deliberately delayed by NAF and that her child was denied payment of school fees by NAF like other children of late men and officers of the military.
She added that maltreatment allegedly meted to her by some officers after the demise of her husband in April 2016, made her abandon her duty post as a way of saving her life.
She said, “I was forced and traumatized to go on away without leave (AWOL), because my late husband’s insurance benefit was deliberately not paid, my child was denied school fees payment by NAF in line with military tradition and unwarranted persecutions from some officers and life threatening posting”.
Defending the allegations on behalf of NAF, its Director of Legal Services, Wing Commander Mohammed Saleh, said the insurance benefits of late Warrant Officer Daramola Taiwo was not deliberately delayed as there were about 174 families in the Airforce experiencing such delays in payment.
But when asked by the committee chaired by Senator Neda Imasuen to define what he meant by active service, he said those who died at the battle front or field were categorised as dying in active service while those who died naturally were not considered as such prior to amendment of the regulation in 2021.
Irked by his submission, the Chairman and members of the committee declared as unacceptable for the insurance benefits of dead personnel not paid close to nine years.
Consequently the committee as declared by its Chairman, told the Air officer that a strong letter will be forwarded to the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Hassan Abubakar, “to without further delay, facilitate payment of insurance benefits of the husband of the petitioner.
“Incorporate the child of the deceased as beneficiary of School fees payment by NAF and open window for honourable exit of the petitioner from NAF with attendant retirement benefits”.