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The Nigerian Army has assured of treatment of wounded-in-action soldiers, including medical evacuation overseas, prompt payment of operational allowances, as 25 jittery soldiers voluntarily resigned in face of Tinubu’s insistence on military intervention in Niger Republic.
A statement by Army Director of Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Onyama Nwachukwu, on Thursday, said: “the Army has continuously strived to provide a supportive and conducive work environment and conditions for its personnel,” which it said, “was evident in the Army’s continuous efforts to improve its operational capabilities, including the injection of equipment into the theaters of operations, prompt payment of operational allowances, treatment of wounded-in-action soldiers and including medical evacuation overseas, and provision of decent accommodation for its troops.”
Explaining reasons the 25 soldiers recently resigned, Nwachukwu said it was voluntary and not due to any misdemeanor in the Service as wrongly reported.
He said the army as a professional body, is guided by extant policies on the discharge and retirement of soldiers and officers, like other organizations.
An online media platform, on Wednesday, reported that 25 soldiers, all from the Armour Corp, applied for voluntary retirement due to alleged corruption in the Army, noting that they were not ready to go and die in Niger Republic against Tinubu’s insistence for military intervention in the neighbouring country over their own political misunderstanding .
The Army described such allegation as “an implausible effort to frantically dampen the morale and fighting will of the loyal, dedicated and patriotic troops of the Nigerian Army, engender disaffection in the ranks and ultimately put the nascent Nigerian government and nation in a panic mode.”
The statement reads: “Evidently, the medium and its owners need to be schooled to understand that the NA is not a conscript Army and that recruitment into the Nigerian Army is voluntary, with extant policies on discharge and retirement of soldiers and officers respectively, like other organizations.
“This provides its personnel the opportunity to apply for voluntary discharge or retirement when they deem fit and meet the terms and conditions stipulated in the Harmonized Terms and Conditions of Service for Soldiers/Ratings/Airmen (Revised) 2017. It is thus, the inalienable right of personnel to voluntarily or on medical grounds apply for discharge.
“Therefore, It is not an aberration for the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) to approve the voluntary discharge of soldiers, who willingly applied and satisfy the terms for discharge from the NA, contrary to the mischievous manipulation of the occurrence by the media in question.”
The Army reiterated its has continuously strived to provide a supportive and conducive work environment and conditions for its personnel, which it said was evident in the Army’s continuous efforts to improve its operational capabilities, including the injection of equipment into the theaters of operations, prompt payment of operational allowances, treatment of wounded-in-action soldiers, including medical evacuation overseas, and provision of decent accommodation for its troops.
“Suffice it to state, that the Nigerian Army under the leadership of Lt Gen Taoreed Lagbaja remains committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity, probity, and professionalism by providing exemplary and pragmatic leadership, sound Administration, that will continue to boldly guarantee the welfare and motivation of NA personnel, as well as provide requisite enablers for operational effectiveness, while maintaining public trust,” Brig-Gen Nwachukwu further said./SHARE THIS
