The Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan Ali, and the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin, are advocating a repeal of the Armed Forces Act to reflect current realities in the global security landscape.

According to them, while the laws from which Nigeria derived its own have undergone several reviews, Nigeria’s Laws have remained unchanged.

Mr Mansur Dan-Ali and Gen. Gabriel Olonishakin, who were speaking at a forum in Abuja, made suggestions on the areas to be reviewed.

Dan-Ali noted: “Some notice political areas to be reviewed will include, a command influence in the composition and administration of military justice system, a committee with the convention protocol of the international labour organisation and a critical examination of some of the provision of the act that has become obsolete.

“Furthermore, the welfare of the members of the Arm Forces of Nigeria who have given a good account of themselves in the war against Boko Haram insurgency in the North-east of Nigeria and in similar operations in other part of the country, their review is also expected to address the issue of fundamental human right of men and women while performing their constitutional role and still maintaining military discipline and rules of engagement.”

In his part, Gen. Olonisakin advocated for the government to amend the statutory entitlement of the Armed Forces who has to restore hope and dignity of for the nation.

“While we remain law abiding in an effort to restore hope and dignity of our compatriots, a terrorist especially in the astigmatic welfare we are fighting as nobody to account to.

“I urge you to consider the amendment to the Armed Forces Act that we are called statutory entitlement to members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria that are killed or wounded, as such provision are not available in the instant enactment,” Gen. Gabriel lamented.

(Channels TV)

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