NDA alumni warn against neglecting retired security personnel

Members of the Nigerian Defence Academy 35 Regular Course have called for improved welfare for retired personnel of the various security agencies.

This is as they demand for the review of the Armed Forces Pension Act.

Speaking during the 40th anniversary of the course in Abuja on Saturday night, the immediate past president of the association, Air Cdre Emmanuel Golit (retd), said the abandonment of retirees from security agencies could pose a danger to the country because of the skills they had acquired while in service.

He noted that the retirees could become a willing tool in the hands of criminal groups if left to contend with hunger.

Golit said, “The military, anywhere is the foundation of the nation-states. If there’s no security in any country, nothing thrives. There will be no industry, no parliament, nothing will work. Now, having served your country diligently, up to the point of retirement, it is incumbent on the government to see to the welfare of members of the Security agencies, particularly because this you will have skills that can be borrowed, that can be paid for by insurgents.

” If the government doesn’t treat them when this kills you, you can name them. So for such a group, you need to debar them security-wise, from selling their skills, either to bandits, terrorists, or other non-state actors because if we leave this group hungry or you don’t care for them a lot of strange things can happen.

The government from time to time should review the welfare conditions of members of the armed forces and other security agencies. For instance, the Nigerian Armed Forces Act has been there for so long, since the 70s. There has been no deliberate effort to review this document to see how we can add new things that can assist retired members of the armed forces.”