Once again, President Muhammadu Buhari has vowed to hand over to his successor a country free of the current security challenging bedeviling it.
The president expressed confidence that with the gallantry and sacrifices exhibited by men and women of the Nigerian Armed Forces in the campaign against insurgency and other internal security operations, the nation will be returned to normalcy as “we continue to battle, decisively, all the security challenges.”
The president spoke yesterday in Abuja where he disclosed that N134.7 billion had been approved for the payment of Security Debarment Allowance (SDA) to all veterans.
The president also used the occasion to commend the efforts of the Nigerian Armed Forces in frontally confronting banditry, kidnappings, molestations and killing of innocent citizens, saying these ‘‘vices alien to our culture’’ are on the decline.
According to him, normalcy is gradually returning to some affected parts of the country due to the methodical approach and increasing military campaign to decimate subversive elements involved in destructive activities such as ‘‘in the insurgency in North East, militancy in the Niger Delta’’ as well as ethnic and religious tensions in some communities.
He assured Nigerians that his government would continue to reposition and strengthen all security agencies to enable them surmount the security challenges in the country.
He called on business enterprises to appreciate the sacrifice of servicemen and gallant troops by extending support to them in the form of discounts and rebates on purchases and services rendered, saying this would act as a morale booster to members of the Armed Forces and assist them in carrying out their statutory responsibilities.
The president commended state governors who are patrons of veterans in their respective states for their support of the Nigerian Legion.
He announced the donation of N10 million to the Nigerian Legion, on behalf of the federal government, at the launch of the 2023-Armed Forces Remembrance Day Emblem and Appeal fund.
Speaking at the occasion, which preceded the meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), Buhari, in a statement by presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, pledged the federal government’s commitment to the welfare of veterans by ensuring prompt payment of their pension and other entitlements, which had been demonstrated by his approval of the payment of Security Debarment Allowance (SDA) to veterans with effect from 2017.
‘‘However, in order to capture all veterans hitherto excluded from the payment of the SDA, I have approved a review of the effective date of the Manual of Financial Administration for the Armed Forces of Nigeria (MAFA) 2017.
‘‘Accordingly, I have also approved the sum of one hundred and thirty-four billion, seven hundred and forty-nine million, nine hundred and fifty-three thousand, two hundred- and forty-three-naira, sixty-nine kobo (N134,749,953,243.69) only for that purpose,’’ he said.
As the Grand Patron of the Nigerian Legion, President Buhari urged government agencies at the Federal and State levels to continue to patronise the services of the Nigerian Legion Corps of Commissionaires in the provision of security and other administrative services.
The president recounted that the choice of 15th January as the Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration is symbolic because it marked the end of the Nigerian Civil War.
‘‘The occasion gives cause for reflection and reminds us of the sacrifice made by our Armed Forces in preserving the unity of the country and highlights the need for us to guard this unity of jealousy,’’ he said.
He, therefore, implored all citizens to refrain from detrimental actions and statements that threaten national unity and integration but rather engage in positive actions that unite the country.
‘‘The strength of our country lies in our diversity, an endowment we must do all within our means to preserve,’’ he said.
The Senate President Ahmed Lawan, who also promised financial donation on behalf of the National Assembly to the Nigerian Legion, commended the president for giving maximum support to the Nigerian Armed Forces.
The Minister of Defence, Maj.-Gen. Bashir Magashi, pledged that the Ministry would continue to ensure the prompt payment of the entitlements and death benefits of the deceased servicemen.
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