‘No Pension Funds Given To Defence Minister’

Minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, has debunked news that N25 billion purportedly meant for retired military pensioners from the Conditioner Cash Transfer Funds had been given to the minister of defence, Muhammed Badaru Abubakar.

In a statement issued by the ministry yesterday, it urged the general public to disregard the report, describing it as not only fake but a deliberate, malicious and insipid attempt by mischief makers and enemies of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the present administration to tarnish the image and integrity of the  minister.

“For the record, at no time did the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation give or contemplate giving funds meant for the Pensioners of the Retired Military personnel of the Nigerian Armed Forces to Ministers or Ministries.

“For the avoidance of doubt, 17,077 veterans, and 264,560 pensioners list were submitted to National Social Safety-Nets Coordinating Office  (NASSCO), in the third week of November and the process of in-person verification of the names submitted by the Nigerian Legion and the Pensioners group is still ongoing.

“Similarly, the office responsible for the verification of the register under the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation is doing a painstaking job, of working with the World Bank. All the captured retired veterans who meet the criteria and pensioners will be paid once the rigorous verification exercise is completed,’’ the minister said.