Thousands of Dismissed Nigerian Soldiers Plead To Be Recalled

Scores of dismissed Nigerian soldiers have appealed to the Presidency and the Nigerian Security Council to look into their cases and recall them, having not been properly discharged from the army.

Some of the dismissed soldiers who spoke to newsmen in Asaba, the Delta State capital on Thursday, said that
since 1979, about 10,000 soldiers have been irregularly dismissed from service without any benefit at all.

The ex-soldiers said the process of their summary removal was unjust and they want it reviewed. They recalled that the process of recalling them had actually been started when Air Marshal Paul Dike was the Chief of Defence Staff, and Lt. Gen. Danbazzau was the Chief of Army Staff. But the exercise stopped soon after they retired from service seven years ago.
Those who were lucky to recalled then, the ex-soldiers said, were been made to attend refreshing courses at the School of Infantry, Jaji and posted to their respective units.

Part of a letter of appeal signed by some of the ex-soldiers said, “We are appealing to the Nigerian Security
Council to look into our affairs as a matter of urgency and temper justice with mercy and recall us back to the
service or discharge us accordingly, as we have nothing doing to help our family.
“Some of us have undergone several training in the Nigerian School of Artillery, Kachia, Kaduna state and
acquired unquantifiable knowledge during these trainings.”

The appeal letter was signed by BDR Onyeayana Okafor (79NA/9257), CPL Raphael Iyama (79NA/3370), L/BDR
Michael Olisakaomam (79NA/18909), L/CPL Emovre Eugene, L/CPL Sani Musa (79NA/8537), L/CPL Thomas Odu (79NA/9619), PTE Bright Akpoghenta (79NA/30858), PTE Olusola Ogundipe (95NA/39/2347), L/CPL Zakarya (79NA/72792) and PTE David Rojowa Bernard (79NA/19358) among others.

Source:
Punch Newspaper