By Kingsley Omonobi
ABUJA  — The Military Pensions Board has cried out that following the high casualty recorded by the military in the on-going battle to dislodge Boko Haram terrorists from the North East and North West parts of the country, is making it difficult for the board to pay death and other benefits.

Chairman of the Military Pensions Board, Air Commodore Mohammed Rabiu Dabo, who disclosed this when he received the Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro in his office, noted that present budgetary provisions did not provide for the high rate of dead soldiers from operational areas like the North East, the JTF and other internal security operations.

He, therefore, solicited the urgent intervention of the minister in ensuring that the unforeseen challenge was addressed forthwith so as to give families of  the deceased immediate succour while other benefits due to those who died or injured were being worked on.

On the non-payment of arrears of 20 per cent out of the 53 per cent owed retired soldiers and officers since 2010,  which led to a mild protest in the FCT recently, with ex-soldiers threatening that they will make the 2015 elections unpalatable if the arrears are no paid, Air Commodore Dabo described it as a tough challenge, noting that all efforts towards addressing the challenge had proved difficult

He noted, however, that no pensioner was being owed the 33 per cent of the pension increment as at today saying that all military pensioners totalling over 130, 000 have been paid.

Air Commodore Dabo disclosed that 160 ex-soldiers who fought on the side of Biafra during the civil war and received presidential pardon including those who did not serve up to 15 years, and were enrolled in the military pensions system had successfully accessed their benefits.

He, however,  said the new challenge was that “those on the Nigerian side who did not serve up to 15 years before retiring from service, are now agitating that their names be included in the pensions roll.”

Dabo also requested the minister to draw the attention of government to the issue of disparity in pension benefits to ex-soldiers and officers in the three services following their agitations.

Asked why the yearly verification exercise to determine the actual number of military pensioners was yet to take place, the MPB Chairman said, the present security challenges in some parts of the country was responsible for the shift, adding that once the situation improves, the exercise will be carried out.

In his address, Senator Obanikoro noted that the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan was totally committed to the welfare of the military, both serving and retired, adding that issues concerning outstanding payments, be they arrears of 20 per cent, issues concerning death benefits of soldiers in operational areas as well as gratuities and pensions would be sorted out soon.

“The level of casualties sustained by our gallant troops in the war against Boko Haram insurgents and other operations has made it imperative that next of kin and family members of soldiers are paid their benefits without delay. We don’t want a situation where the families will suffer after losing loved ones.”

Describing the challenge of insurgency as new and huge both in finances and resources, the minister said: “People should remember that this administration is the first to battle domestic terrorism which is the most difficult battle to fight. It is not as if the battle ground is known. It is everywhere. We are dealing with unknown battlefield.

“Fighting terrorists in a democracy is difficult because of the need to observe the rights and privileges of the citizens. Between trying to ensure that individual privileges are not trampled upon, you have to also protect the larger society and I have said fighting terrorism is not Jonathan’s battle. It is all Nigerians’ battle.

“The reason is because they are trying to change our way of life. They are trying to reduce us from whom we are. The resources so far expended would have been diverted to the development of the economy and the country.”

Continuing Obanikoro said: “It is my belief that those who have served this nation with dignity should be treated with dignity. Those who have lost loved ones paid the supreme sacrifice; we should not allow their families suffer.

“It is for that reason that an exception is being made to the rule with the putting in place of a benevolent funding. The problem is that the families may not be immediately aware of this, and it may cause some lacuna between the time of the loss of the personnel and accessing the fund.”

It will be recalled that a fortnight ago, the coalition of aggrieved military pensioners protested in Abuja over the alleged non-payment of their pensions by the Federal Government.