Veterans Warn Nigerian Youths Against Inciting War

War veterans drawn from different military formations have urged Nigerians to desist from any act that could lead to war in Nigeria, saying there is no gain in warfare.

The veterans disclosed this during the occasion which was to mark the 55th remembrance of the commencement of the Nigerian Civil War which lasted from 1967-1970 in Abuja yesterday.

The veterans, under the aegis of the Green Heroes Foundation (GHF) called on youths to desist from any form of violence across the country, saying that the experience was traumatising and should serve as lesson for Nigerians to avoid any issues that will lead to a re-occurrence of such.

In his remarks during the occasion, the convener of GHF, Air Commodore Abayomi Balogun (rtd) called on the federal government to further upgrade the welfare packages of retired officers.

He advised the youths to shun any idea of harbouring or nurturing an impending war across the country, saying, “We don’t have to go to war because it is the young people that will be pushed to go to those fronts while the influencers stay in their offices or their comfort zones. So, we need to appeal to the youths to calm down.

“I saw what happened in Liberia and watch several innocent people killed both in that country and Sierra Leone. I  have also been to UN peacekeeping missions and saw what people in those countries suffered.”

On the welfare of the retirees, Adejumo said the foundation stands to provide care and support to war veterans and their families.

Also, a war veteran who fought the civil war, Staff Sgt, Irek Okpo said he joined the Nigerian army at age 18, adding that he served as a frontier in Port Harcourt during the war before retiring in 1982 to fall back on farming activities.