By Nkechi Eze
The Nigerian Army has stressed that sustainable welfare for military veterans requires deliberate policy frameworks, predictable funding structures, and coordinated institutional mechanisms to deliver lasting impact.
In an official signed statement, Acting Director Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, disclosed that the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, made the assertion on February 18, 2026, while receiving the Chairperson of the National Council of the Nigerian Legion, Grace Morenike Henry, during a courtesy visit to Army Headquarters in Abuja.
The COAS stated that the strength of any professional military institution lies not only in its operational effectiveness but also in the dignity and care accorded to its veterans. He emphasised that the sacrifices of officers and soldiers, many of whom served in complex operational theatres across the country, must be matched with resilient post-service support systems that reflect national gratitude and strategic foresight.
Lieutenant General Shaibu noted that leading military institutions globally have institutionalised comprehensive veterans’ welfare systems supported by law, policy clarity, and guaranteed budgetary provisions. He stressed that Nigeria must consolidate and expand its existing frameworks to ensure retired personnel transition into civilian life with purpose and without socio-economic vulnerability.
Describing veterans as strategic national assets, the Army Chief encouraged retired personnel to participate actively in politics, governance, and policy advocacy, noting that their leadership experience, discipline, crisis-management capabilities, and national security exposure uniquely position them to contribute meaningfully to legislative and executive processes.
He also urged constructive engagement with the National Assembly, particularly the Senate and the House of Representatives, to champion legislative initiatives that will strengthen veterans’ welfare and reinforce the national security architecture. He added that many retirees possess administrative, logistics, and clerical expertise that can be redeployed as consultants, management professionals, and institutional advisers, while encouraging them to document and publish their professional experiences to preserve institutional memory, enrich strategic discourse, and inspire future service personnel.
Earlier, Grace Morenike Henry outlined structural challenges facing veterans and personnel approaching retirement, including low public awareness of the Legion’s statutory mandate and limited societal appreciation of its responsibilities. She observed that national attention to veterans’ welfare is often limited to the annual Armed Forces Celebration and Remembrance Day, rather than sustained throughout the fiscal and policy cycle.
She further identified the absence of a dedicated budget line for veterans’ affairs in the national appropriation framework as a major constraint, resulting in reliance on ad-hoc interventions and inconsistent funding. She therefore advocated the establishment of a fully funded ministry dedicated exclusively to veterans’ affairs to provide institutional coherence and structured policy direction nationwide.
The engagement reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to advancing a holistic, policy-driven approach to veterans’ welfare anchored on legislative support, fiscal responsibility, institutional coordination, and national recognition of their service.
