The federal government has announced the re-absorption of 2,141 civil war veterans into the military pension scheme, addressing a long-standing gap for personnel who retired before completing the stipulated qualifying years for benefits.

Minister of Defence, Muhammad Badaru Abubakar, disclosed the development in Abuja, describing it as a step toward fairness and national reconciliation.

The Minister also outlined a new initiative, the Reclaiming the Ungoverned Space for Economic Benefits Programme (RUSEB-P), which will aim to mobilise retired military veterans to restore security and stimulate economic activities in areas previously affected by insurgency.

He added that the Ministry is reviewing the Nigerian Legion Act with a view to renaming it the Veterans Federation of Nigeria (VFN).

He said, “To reposition the support structure for ex-service members, we have constituted a committee to review the Nigerian Legion Act, seeking to rename it the Veterans Federation of Nigeria, VFN.

‘’This critical reform will strengthen the legal framework for veterans’ benefits and reintegration programmes.

”In a powerful demonstration of fairness and national reconciliation, the ministry of defence has successfully enrolled 2,141 civil war veterans who fought on the Nigerian side but retired before meeting the stipulated pension qualifying years, ensuring all sacrifices are duly recognised.”

In addition, the Ministry continues to expand healthcare and welfare support through Defence Health Maintenance Limited (DHML), which now serves over 400,000 enrollees, including more than 205,000 veterans and their families.

The government has also disbursed N18 billion in Group Life Insurance benefits and introduced a debarment allowance, measures aimed at safeguarding veterans’ welfare and preventing misuse of their expertise.

Badaru emphasised that these various measures are part of a broader strategy to leverage the experience of retired personnel for national development and security, underlining the long-term vision behind the new RUSEB-P initiative, adding, “To this end, the Ministry is developing a critical new initiative named the “Reclaiming the Ungoverned Space for Economic Benefits Programme, RUSEB-P.”

“This programme is strategically designed to leverage the expertise of retired, agile military veterans to restore security and promote economic development in previously insurgent-occupied areas.

“By engaging veterans to reinforce local security and initiate projects like farming and mining, RUSEB-P will prevent the resurgence of terrorism, revitalize local economies, and strengthen national security and cohesion. A dedicated committee is currently finalizing the implementation framework.

“This forward-looking approach underscores the significance of the event we commence today.’’

2,141 civil war veterans reabsorbed into pension scheme under FG’s RUSEB-P initiative (THE NATION)