…Calls for Improved Welfare
By Charles Edet
Abuja
The Nigerian Legion, an umbrella body of retired military personnel, has commended President Bola Tinubu for launching the Remembrance Emblem initiative.
This program aimed to raise awareness about the significance of Armed Forces Remembrance Day among citizens.
The event is scheduled to take place on January 15th, 2024 throughout Nigeria and will be solemnly observed with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu leading by laying wreaths in Abuja alongside Vice President Shettima, Senate President Senator Godswill Akpabio and Service Chiefs.
Major General Abdulmalik Jibril (retd) while briefing the press, lauded the Federal Government for its ongoing support while urging them to reconsider Section 11 of the Act that established the Nigerian Legion and include it in their annual budgetary allocations.
In his preparatory press conference to this years Armed Forces Remembrance Day on January 15, the National Chairman, Major General Abdulmalik Jibril (retd), said since the establishment of the Nigerian Legion Act in 1964, its yet to receive full budgetary allocations to adequately execute its mandate as enshrined in the Act.
He said the in adequate funding of the Nigerian Legion had hampered the welfare and wellbeing of the dependants of the fallen heroes, and the running of the Legion.
General Jibril added that the Legion has been shouldering the responsibility of the fallen heroes and further declared that the Nigerian Legion as the umbrella body overseeing the general welfare of the ex service men, a function which it has not diligently discharged due to lack of funding.
He commended President Bola Tinubu who “launched the Remembrance Emblem on the October 25, 2023”,
which he said “kick-started the going round to sensitise the general public and to appeal to them to donate generously to the course of the fallen heroes for the purpose of taking care of their widows, orphans and all those who depend on our fallen heroes as breadwinners.”
General Jibril Called on Nigerians not to forget the efforts of the armed forces whose duty has been to keep the country safe, and ensure that the citizens sleep with their eyes closed, stating that the citizens owed it a duty to reciprocate by remembering and also maintaining the families left behind by the fallen heroes.
The Legion Boss said, “As you may know Nigerian Legion was established in 1964. We are 60 years old. Even though the act provides that the federal government should fund the organisation but unfortunately there has never been any funding extended to the Nigerian Legion.
“So the issue of funding the Nigerian Legion is still subsisting, it is now that I assumed as the Chairman that I’m making effort to see if section 11 of the Act which said the federal government should fund the Nigerian Legion’s administration every year.
“That has never happened. Nigerians legion has not even got the take off grant that is necessary for any organisation that is established by government to establish office environment”, Jubril lamented.
General Jibril, stated that the Nigerian Legion remains the statutory umbrella body that is permitted to protect and speak on behalf of every other association propagating the interest of the ex-service men and the families of the fallen heroes.
“ Every Group projecting the interest of the ex-servicemen, must be registered under the Legion and such group does not have the right to go straight to the Defense Ministry, Without passing through the Nigerian Legion, to register their grief to enable the Legion to assist in addressing the issues” he said.
The Legions general , revealed that the Nigerian Legion is on the path of create a data base to capture the exact statistics of its service men for records across the country. He urged Nigerians not to relent in their magnanimity towards rendering supporting to legion.
