Military Pensioners Threaten To Wreck Pipelines Over Unpaid pension

Source: huhuonline.com

Huhuonline.com can disclose that aggrieved Military pensioners in the South-South region, on Monday threatened to blow up oil and gas pipelines in the region if the federal government fails to commence payment of the 53 percent pension arrears owed

 all military pensioners in the last four years.
Economic analysts have averred that a possible strike by the ex-soldiers may deny Nigeria the increasing crude sales recorded since the amnesty deal was struck with ex-militants, as well as undermine efforts to attract investments into the region.

In a statement endorsed by Major Danjuma Kibo (rtd), National leader and Captain Don Pedro (rtd), National Secretary, after an extraordinary meeting by the Military Pensioners Welfare Association (NMPWA) in Port Harcourt, they observed that the federal government was 'taking veterans for a ride'.

'We have been trained in the art of warfare, we have knowledge of combat of any sort and we can blow oil pipelines in the region and cripple the economy of the nation. We want to say that we can be more deadly than Boko Haram, so we should not be taken for granted.'

The military veterans also expressed disgust that the government is beginning to feign ignorance over the 53 percent arrears being owed the pensioners as the federal government has done nothing about the situation till date, even as they have invested their youthfulness in the service of the country.

'We were told by the Directorate of Military Pensions (DMP) around April this year that the arrears would be paid as soon as budget was approved and at the approval of the budget that the money was being prepared in July for payment but nothing has been heard since then.'

'If these crops of leaders were not around when we fought for the unity of this country, at least some of the senators, traditional rulers and opinion leaders were around then. We have watched with dismay the vulgar display of ill-gotten wealth by some unscrupulous politicians even as we and our families wallow in penury as we are being deprived of our constitutional entitlements.

'We do not want to become tools in the hands of some enemies of the present administration who have approached us variously to act negatively as a prelude to bringing down this government. We cannot hold on forever because of the level of poverty and hunger that has accosted us.

'Ex-militants are being paid a monthly salary of N65, 000 but ex-servicemen who were either maimed or amputated are paid N20, 000 monthly as pension. Families of soldiers killed during the war have not all being compensated.

'Repentant militants are sent overseas for more training to empower them but the retired military pensioners have nothing to show for their years of patriotism. Children are out of school, families have been broken because of lack of money. We cannot wait forever as we shall soon strike and wait for the consequences', the ex-servicemen said.