By Okosun Dennis
Eleven retired members of the Armed Forces have appealed to the authority to compensate them following Governor Mallam El-Rufai’s eviction from their homes about two weeks ago.
Their appeal came on the heels of the decision of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai to compensate Warrant Officer Paul Ojo with a three-bedroom flat in Kaduna State.
The victims of the eviction are Mwo Benjamin Bazo; Mwo Abdul Musa Dabai; Wo David Obaje; Wo James Balat; Ssgt Alhaji Aliyu; Ssgt Mark O; Sgt Dominic Simon; Sgt Sale Bature; Sgt Samuel Nakozi; Major Dabo Johnson and Captain Moses Ajani.
It would be recalled that Pa Ojo was forcefully evicted by agents of Kaduna state government on August 17, 2020 from his two-bedroom apartment.
They have cried to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai, to also assist them just as he did to their co-evictee, Pa Ojo as they all suffered the same humiliation and ejection by the Kaduna State Government.
The REMENAF Deputy National Coordinator, who heeded the cry of the affected Veterans, Widows and Orphans of our fallen heroes visited the victims following the directive by REMENAF National Headquarters after numerous calls from the evictees.
While congratulating their colleague, Pa Ojo, they also thanked the COAS for his unprecedented gift but appealed to the authority not to “sideline” them as they suffered the same fate as WO Paul Ojo.
While appealing for calm, the REMENAF Deputy National Coordinator who doubles as the Northern Coordinator for CCV, Dr. Awwal Abdullahi Aliyu assured that their case would not be left unattended to by the CCV leadership as plans are on to pay the COAS thank you visit along with WO Paul Ojo, where their plight would be presented to the authority.
However, Coalition of Concerned Veterans (CCV) has condemned the brazen attack on veterans by the Kaduna state government with regards to their eviction from their homes.
According to CCV, “It is our contention that no politician, no matter how highly placed, should be allowed to treat any veteran with such disdain and disrespect as was witnessed in this episode in Kaduna.
“These veterans have sacrificed their sweat and blood to give Nigeria the peace that the politicians are enjoying and exploiting today. The least they reasonably deserve is respect even if they cannot be appreciated like their counterparts in other parts of the world.”
They, however, appealed that the military authorities should prevail on the Kaduna state government to restore to other veterans, including the widows of the fallen soldiers, to their homes without further harassment.
https://any.peopleandpowermag.com/11-veterans-appeal-for-assistance-after-gov-el-rufais-eviction/
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