Biafra War leader, Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu in a broadcast just before the war broke out in 1967
Biafran War: Buhari Settles Warlords Entitlements
Forty-seven after the end of the Nigerian civil war, rebel soldiers and policemen today begin getting their entitlements.
Following the breakout of the war in 1967, the war lords were tagged rebels, dismissed and their benefits severed.
The officers affected by the war from the Old Eastern Region were pardoned and retired from the Nigeria Police Force through a Presidential Amnesty granted on May 29, 2000 by the the Olusegun Obasanjo administration but despite the Presidential pardon and verification of these war officers, many of them remained unpaid.
President Muhammadu Buhari gave approval for the payment of pension entitlements to these officers and their Next of Kins.
Launching the Pension Payments to Retired war affected Police Officers in Enugu, the Executive Secretary of Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), Mrs Sharon Ikeazor, said that the Federal Government through President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration would end all the painful legacies of the war.
She said that Mr President tended to fulfill all Federal Government’s obligation to the South-East in line with available resources. “This represents another decision by the current Federal Government to bring closure to the painful legacies of the civil war, and indeed a clear demonstrate that President Muhammadu Buhari is indeed a father to all Nigerians.
“His (Mr President) administration’s reforms under the PTAD will ensure that Nigerians who spent the productive years of their lives serving their nation will not experience difficulties in getting their pensions,’’ she said.
According to her, today marks another milestone in re-integrating the hitherto neglected officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force who have suffered untold hardships over the years catering for their needs and that of their dependents.
“In this particular batch of payment, 162 officers who have never been on the payroll and 57 Next of Kin who have also not been paid their death benefits will be paid today. “The others, 155 who are on payroll but were being short paid would be paid in the next batch as soon as their pension benefit computation is concluded,’’ she said. The President of Association of Retired War Affected Police Officers (ARWAPO),
Chief Matthew Udeh, thanked Mr President for his forthrightness and believing in one Nigeria.
“We believe we are all one, one Nigeria forever. The war is over and over forever. “God will continue to bless President Muhammadu Buhari for looking at the nation as one indivisible entity.
“I feel fulfilled today. The whole ARWAPO members are full of gratitude to Mr President for hearing our cry for over 40 years and running,’’ Udeh, who was an Assistant Superintendent of Police before the war, said.