It has been a harrowing experience after successfully defending his country during the civil war that lasted for three years (1967-1970). Alhaji Rafiu Bello, an octogenarian, lost his sight 20 years ago, children and other valuables in the course of struggling for the payment of 45 years pension arrears owed him as a civil war veteran under successive administrations in the country.

Bello, now 81, who retired as a corporal in the Nigerian Army, is one of the veterans that have a service record of 10 years and above but have not been able to get their pension arrears after diligently serving their fatherland.

While recounting his experience on the battle field, the octogenarian, who was aided by one of his grandchildren because of his health condition, said he fought on the side of the Nigerian troops against Biafran soldiers at Ore, though the war ended with no victor no vanquished.

He said both sides recorded unspecified number of casualties in the war. However, survivors of the war have gory tales of woes to tell.

He lamented that instead of successive leaderships in the country to repay war heroes for their service to the nation, the reverse was the case.

Bello, who claimed to have left the service as an able bodied person, said he could no longer walk without being assisted, as he also lost many valuables, adding that the only thing he was left with is his breath.

Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, Bello said, “In 2004, in the course of pursuing my pension which had not been paid, I developed eye problem. I couldn’t attend to it on time until my sight degenerated and I lost my sight completely. Due to the precarious situation I found myself, my wife abandoned me and left me alone. It is regrettable that while all these befell me, I lost my two children in quick succession. I really suffered.”

He lamented that former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who happened to be a senior colleague in the military, could not use his office as the democratically-elected head of the country at that time to solve their problem. “If Obasanjo, who we thought could share in our feelings could not, who else?” he said.

“We attended many screening exercises in Ibadan and Abuja. We were certified by the various committees set up by the Federal Government and its relevant agency, Army Pension Board, that we are entitled to the pension.

“We were invited for the screening in 2015, 2019 and 2020 in Ibadan and Abuja. Not minding my heath condition, I was on the road for several hours, yet no fruitful result came out of the various exercises.

“We endangered our lives. The little upkeep money provided by our children are wasted. Many of us are living on medication, but where is the money to meet the various challenges we are being confronted with? Death among us has become a daily occurrence.

“We don’t want to be confrontational but our appeal is that President Bola Tinubu should look towards our direction as we are presently helpless. We have a minimum service record of 10 years and above. The former President Yar’ Adua promised that regardless of the number of our service years, we would all be paid.

“It was a double tragedy for some of our women. They lost their husbands in the course of serving the country, yet they could not access their husbands’ pension as the next of kin.”

Aligning themselves with Bello’s position, a group of civil war veterans recently staged a peaceful rally in Ibadan, calling for the swift intervention of President Tinubu on the issue.

The protest, which took off from the State secretariat of the Nigerian Legion, Agodi Gate, in Ibadan North local government Area, saw the aggrieved protesters displaying placards with inscriptions such as, ‘President Tinubu come to our aid’, ‘We are dying of hunger’, ‘We can no longer afford medical bills’, and ‘We have lost no fewer than 250 members to avoidable death.’

The protesters, who claimed to have successfully defended the country from collapse during the war, disclosed that they have been made to appear before different screening committees with certificates to back up their claims, yet no payment has been made till date.

“Successive administrations in the country except former President Musa Yar’Adua were insensitive to our plights. We have been living on fake promises. We are losing our members on a daily basis. We are noble men and women”

They alleged that “It is sad to note that the veterans that fought on the side of Biafra have been enjoying the benefits that we are fighting for. We are being treated as aliens in our fatherland. Enough is enough.”

Corroborating their view, national coordinator of the Able Voluntary Discharged Soldiers Association of Ten Years and Above, Less Than Fifteen Years, Corporal Babawande Phillips (retd), said they have been invited for meetings severally on this issue in Abuja but with no result.

According to him, “We had meetings with the Federal Government representmatives in 2015, 2019 and 2020 with a promise that the issue will be resolved. Here we are today. It has always been a case of empty promises.

“Our obedient dog has been driven to the wall. It is now time to fight back. We are embarking on a warning protest after this; we will not hesitate to shut down government facilities if the result is not forthcoming.” (Nigerian Tribune)

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