Retired Military Officers Back Buhari’s Counter-Insurgency Approach

Zamani LekwotRetired top military officers at the weekend threw their weight behind President Muhammadu Buhari’s approach to the counter-insurgency war in the North-East.

The former military officers under the aegis of retired Army, Navy and Air Force Officers Club, commended the president for addressing the nation’s security challenges.

Speaking in Kaduna at the weekend during the annual meeting of the Kaduna State chapter of the association, Chairman of the club, Maj-Gen. Zamani Lekwot (rtd), who conveyed the officers’ position, said Buhari was doing well in his attempt to control the situation.

“What we need to do is to pray for him and to support him in any way in terms of encouragement and advice to end the insurgency for peace, unity and stability.

“I believe President Buhari is a seasoned professional, intelligent and also our colleague, who has the interest of the country at heart, so we need to support him”, he said.

According to Lekwot, the retired officers were now advisers on national or state issues, adding that they were ready to respond to any call by the government for service to the nation.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Kaduna chapter, Brig-Gen. Tai Pedro (rtd), said that one of the achievements of the association was the settlement of its members’ pension, which he noted was now being paid timely.

He described the association as a symbol of national unity while its members met from time to time to share views for national development.

Brig-Gen Pedro, however, called on the Federal Government to review the pension because the last review was in 2010.

He said that the Pension Act ought to be reviewed every five years or together with any federal civil service salary review whichever was earlier.