• CSOs demand prosecution of terrorists, disbandment of radicalisation programme • 32 years after, wives of officers in crashed C130 aircraft lament neglect • We need additional N20b to pay families of deceased military personnel – Minister • Tinubu tells military to be innovative, adaptable
Today, in the absence of President Bola Tinubu, who is currently in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, Vice President Kashim Shettima is expected to release white pigeons in commemoration of this year’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day.
But beyond the symbolic annual ritual of remembering the sacrifices of serving soldiers and fallen heroes, the armed forces hierarchy has been urged to do all that is possible to de-escalate the insecurity in the country and intensify its counter-terrorism efforts by decisively dismantling operations of Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West Africa Province.
The President, in his charge to the armed forces, called on them to embrace innovation and adaptability in addressing the nation’s security challenges.
Represented by the Deputy Speaker, Ben Kalu, at the Armed Forces Celebration and Remembrance Day 2025 Regimental and Award Night for Officers in Abuja, the President said the country needed courage, strength, innovation, and adaptability.
He stressed that the country must continue to boost the capabilities of its military, equipping it with the resources and support necessary to address the evolving security challenges that confront it effectively. Tinubu added that the exemplary service and commitment of the honoured officers had not gone unnoticed, as it stood as a shining example of what it meant to serve the country selflessly with distinction.
He assured the armed forces that his administration would continue to prioritise the welfare and well-being of personnel, ensuring that they had the necessary resources and support to carry out their duties effectively.
This is coming on the heels of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Christopher Musa’s recent revelation that more than 60,000 children were among the over 120,000 Boko Haram members who voluntarily surrendered at his last count.
Recounting his experience from the frontlines, a former Nigerian soldier, Ayodele Olawale, yesterday revealed that Boko Haram terrorists often gained the upper hand in battles due to the Nigerian Army’s lack of adequate ammunition.
Speaking on Arise TV’s The Morning Show on Tuesday, Olawale shared his harrowing experiences as one of the 70 soldiers sentenced to death for mutiny in 2014 after demanding better weapons to combat the insurgents. Olawale explained that Nigerian soldiers were limited to just 60 rounds of ammunition and two magazines, while the insurgents were equipped with more powerful, sophisticated weapons.
Reflecting on the 2014 incident, Olawale stated that with proper military equipment, the insurgency could be defeated quickly. He noted that Nigerian soldiers have already identified the terrorists, but without sufficient arms and ammunition, victory is hindered.
Olawale, who has since been pardoned, lamented that little has changed since the soldiers first raised concerns about inadequate arms in 2014.
He said: “The truth is that things have not changed. The truth is that, you know, my colleagues in the army, those are still in the system. They won’t be able to tell you that things have changed.
“They will just tell you all is well because, you know, there is this pattern that the reason why we suffered mutiny was because we spoke out, because we cried out. ”
Recall that the 70 soldiers, previously sentenced to death for mutiny in 2014 had in December last year sought justice from President Tinubu’s government. Despite being pardoned in 2021, the soldiers lamented that they were still awaiting their outstanding entitlements and discharge certificates from the Nigerian military.
The story is the same for families of military officers who died in a plane crash 32 years ago in the Ejigbo area of Lagos State as they lament negligence and non-payment of compensation by the military high command.
According to one of the widows, Mrs. Roseline Oghale Okoboh, wife of the late Major Daniel O. Okoboh, a lot of promises were made to the widows and children of the late officers, many of which are yet to be fulfilled.
“Successive governments have made promises to help these widows and their children but nothing has been done. Due to the suffering, helplessness, inability to make ends meet and the fact that the majority of the widows are in their mid or late sixties and have no means of livelihood and are dying, those alive can barely survive. We implore the Nigerian Government, Nigerian Military and relevant authorities to come to our aid, especially now that the hardship is unprecedented.”
Already, the Minister of State for Defence, Muhammad Matawalle, has requested the House of Representatives Committee on Defence to approve an additional N20 billion for the payment of families of deceased military personnel. Speaking at the commencement of the 2025 budget defence session in Abuja yesterday, Matawalle who represented the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, called for an improvement in the living standard of the military personnel.
He said: “We have non-payment and accumulated bills of group life insurance, which is very important, Mr. Chairman, the very important issues that we have is non-payment and accumulated bills of group life insurance for military personnel, which I believe I requested the committee for consideration of maybe the sum of N20 billion as additional funds for payment of families of deceased military personnel.
“We have another issue. Mr. Chairman, if you look at the budget 2024, most of the barracks, the allocation being made is zero. How do we expect the personnel of the military to perform while their living standard is inadequate? All the zones, all the zones, all the provisions that we made, the allocation in 2024 is zero and these are the people that we expect them to perform magic. For us in the ministry, we have a lot of challenges.
“While we look at the budget of 2025, just N50 billion. We have a shortfall of N18 billion from last year’s budget. And people expect the ministry to do wonders.
“The Ministry of Defense is supposed to provide some equipment for some of the zones but we cannot. Out of what we have in 2024, we can be able to provide just 20 Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs). What can 20 APCs do? In Katsina alone, Mr Chairman, if we can be able to have 50 APCs that can go inside the bush to flush out those criminals, I assure you, within two months, we’ll finish the issue of banditry.
“There is no provision for that. People have been complaining. Their money is being given to the defence. What is there? But this is what we have. And people are expecting us to do extra things out of the budget. We cannot do it, Mr. Chairman.
“So, I believe this House will consider more funding to the Ministry of Defense, so that even within our own, as administrators, we can be able to provide some equipment to some plush areas of attacks. It is all over the country.
“If you look at the budget of 2025, N50 billion to the Ministry of Defence. Other people outside are thinking that the whole money of Nigeria is into the Ministry of Defence. It is not like that. We cannot pay some of their entitlement, their military, their theatres, and operations. We are not able to pay. This month, I have to write a letter to Mr. President to pay even the presidential guard.”
But while urging the military to up the ante in its fight against insurgents, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has demanded an immediate end to the controversial practice of releasing detained Boko Haram fighters under the deradicalisation and reintegration programme of the military. HURIWA described the programme as unconstitutional and counterproductive, blaming it for the resurgence of deadly attacks in Borno State and other parts of the Northeast.
“We have consistently opposed this illegal and wicked programme of freeing detained Boko Haram terrorists after so-called deradicalisation and reintegration. This practice emboldens terrorists, boosts their morale, and expands their recruitment networks,” the group said in a statement by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko.
The group stressed the importance of prosecuting and convicting detained terrorists through competent courts, recommending the death penalty as the appropriate judicial response for their crimes against humanity. “Nigeria must stop this madness. These terrorists should face justice for their atrocities against innocent citizens,” HURIWA stated.
HURIWA’s statement comes on the heels of renewed terrorist attacks in Borno State. On Monday, the state government confirmed the killing of 40 farmers in Dumba, a community near Baga in Kukawa Local Government Area.
Recall that the governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, has been a focal critic of the deradicalisation programme, insisting that the deradicalisation of repentant Boko Haram members is not working.
The military in 2016 launched Operation Safe Corridor, an initiative for the deradicalisation and rehabilitation of ex-Boko Haram members. The aim of the operation, the military said, is to reintegrate repentant Boko Haram members into society. More than 500 ex-Boko Haram members have already completed the programme.
But while speaking at a recent meeting of the Northeast Governors’ Forum in Bauchi State, Zulum said the initiative needs to be reviewed because some of the ex-Boko Haram members only come to spy on communities and then return to join the group.
“It has been confirmed that the concept of deradicalisation or Safe Corridor is not working as expected. Quite often, those who have passed through the Safe Corridor initiative, or have been deradicalised, usually go back and rejoin the terror group after carefully studying the various security arrangements in their host communities, during the reintegration process.
“In addition, the host communities where the reintegration process is going on usually resent the presence of Boko Haram terrorists, even if they have been deradicalised, because of the despicable and atrocious activities they have committed in the past.”
A security expert, Frank Oshanugor, noted that this year’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day should serve as a reminder to the military that insecurity persists. “Insecurity persists because the Federal Government is still lacking the political will to deal with the alleged sponsors of terrorism in the corridors of power.
“Even those terrorists arrested and granted amnesty are not supposed to be recruited into the nation’s military. In terms of military compensation to wives of fallen heroes, I cannot authoritatively say I am satisfied because I do not have information on that, but I do know that many retired military personnel are languishing in abject poverty as they are not well-catered for.”
The former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), retired Gen. Lucky Irabor, advocated for special support for wounded and disabled veterans to accelerate the morale and effectiveness of personnel.
Irabor made the call while delivering a lecture titled, “Armed Forces Celebration and National Development” today at the Armed Forces Celebration and Remembrance Day 2025 Lecture and Art Exhibition, on Tuesday in Abuja. The event was organised by the Defence Headquarters as part of activities lined up to commemorate the 2025 celebration.
According to him, the plight of servicemen and women who were wounded or disabled leaves a heartbreaking tale in the minds of everyone. “This could indirectly demoralise serving personnel. It could even make veterans go into depression for possible regrets of patriotic services rendered to the nation.
“To redress this, it is suggested that special support could be organised for better care of wounded and disabled active-duty and retired military personnel. I am aware of the ongoing construction of the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder facility and the Invictus Games project.
“It is very essential that these projects are completed, fully furnished,
well-equipped and properly manned, sustained and well-publicised for the benefit of the Armed Forces. The projects will also improve the perception of the Federal Government and the nation in general, as a grateful people for patriotic services rendered,” he said.
Irabor also called for a comprehensive healthcare programme for veterans, adding that the quality of life of veterans had continued to depreciate daily when juxtaposed with the inflationary trends.
According to him, even with prompt payment of monetary entitlements, the value pales when healthcare-related issues are tied to the disposable income of the veteran.
He said that the current Defence Healthcare Insurance policy for personnel was not comprehensive with many ailments and medical cases not covered in the policy.
The former defence chief said that a special-purpose vehicle for comprehensive healthcare for veterans would be invaluable in addressing the challenge.
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