Retired soldiers under the aegis of the Nigerian War Veterans ,Ogun State chapter, on Thursday, wrote an open letter to the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, over the spate of killings and kidnapping cases in many parts of the country.
The war veterans in the letter jointly signed by the chairman and secretary of the body, Fatai Shorinmade and Ogundairo Victor respectively and made available to journalists in Abeokuta, lauded the directive issued by President Tinubu to the Nigerian military.
The letter noted that the directive, aimed at smoking out bandits, kidnappers, and other disruptive elements in Nigeria’s forests, had garnered widespread support from the veteran community.
The retired soldiers, who served for 35 years in various departments across the country before their retirements, expressed their gratitude to Tinubu for taking decisive action during a critical period in Nigeria’s history.
They emphasized the importance of preserving the unity and sovereignty of Nigeria, a nation for which they tirelessly fought.
“We commend the efforts and the spirit of the fighting soldiers whose dedication is now yielding tangible results nationwide,” stated the letter.
The veterans highlighted the significance of addressing the welfare concerns of both active soldiers and retired war veterans.
They, however, urged Tinubu to prioritize the welfare packages for war veterans, emphasizing that neglecting their needs could potentially demoralise serving soldiers.
“We implore our president to adequately look into the welfare of our war veterans, which could also boost the morale of our fighting soldiers,” the letter emphasized.
The delay in receiving welfare payments had led to protests among retired war veterans, raising concerns about government’s commitment to honouring its obligations to those who have served their country.
The Nigerian War Veterans in the state reiterated their unwavering support for Tinubu’s administration and expressed hope for swift action to address the welfare concerns of both active and retired military personnel.
Meanwhile, a retired Warrant Officer, Shafiu Kazeem, who retired in 1982, has called for a focused and methodical approach to tackling insecurity.
The veteran advocated concentrated military efforts in specific areas, followed by deployment of police forces to maintain internal security.
By adopting this targeted strategy, Kazeem argued, the authorities could effectively neutralise threats and restore peace to troubled regions.
Kazeem appealed to the federal government to take decisive action to address the security challenges confronting the nation.
He urged swift and coordinated military interventions, coupled with proactive measures to prevent resurgence of insurgent activities.
