Says 174 cases in NAF alone, unacceptable

…Blocks arrest of petitioner by NAF officers

The Senate, on Tuesday, berated the Military over the delay in payment of insurance benefits to dead and retired personnel.

The Senate Committee on Code of Conduct, Ethics and Public Petitions, while considering a petition before it on the matter, specifically declared that 174 families facing the brunt of such delays in the Nigerian Airforce (NAF) alone, was unacceptable.

This is even as it prevented NAF officers led by Wing Commander Mohammed Saleh, from arresting Master Warrant Rukayat Ajoke Ishola, who petitioned the Senate on non-payment of her husband’s insurance benefits and alleged maltreatment subjected to, by the Airforce authorities since the demise of her husband, Warrant Officer Daramola Taiwo in April 2016.

Senate expressed serious disappointment with the delay in payment of Insurance benefits by the military to its dead or retired personnel, following consideration of petition filed against NAF by Master Warrant Officer Rukayat Ishola.

Rukayat Ishola in the petition, alleged that payment of Insurance benefits of her late husband was deliberately delayed by NAF and that her Child was denied from enjoying payment of School fees by NAF like other children of late men and officers of the military.

She added that maltreatment allegedly meted to her by some officers after the demise of her husband in April 2016, made her abandon her duty post as a a way of saving her life.

She said: I was forced and traumatized to go on away without leave ( AWOL), because my late husband’s insurance benefits, were deliberately not paid, my child was denied school fees payment by NAF in line with military tradition and unwarranted persecutions from some officers and life-threatening posting”.

The attempt made by her to tender recorded telephone conversations she had with the alleged officers persecuting her, was rebuffed by the Committee as it called on an NAF representative to defend the allegations.

Defending the allegations on behalf of NAF, its Director of Legal Services, Wing Commander Mohammed Saleh said the insurance benefits of late Warrant Officer Daramola Taiwo were not deliberately delayed as there about 174 families in the Airforce experiencing such delays in payment.

“I want to Inform this committee that the petitioner lied in all the allegations laid as delay in payment of insurance benefits does not affect her late husband alone but about 174 different families.

“Her Child is not entitled to enjoy school fees payment by NAF since the husband of the petitioner did not die in active service, just as allegation made on alleged maltreatment or persecution, is unfounded”, he said.

But when asked by the Committee Chaired by Senator Neda Imasuen to define what he meant by active service, he said, those who died at the battlefront or field are categorised as dying in active service while those who died naturally are not considered as such prior to amendment of the regulation in 2021.

Irked by his submission, the Chairman and members of the Committee descended on the Air Officer by declaring that it was unacceptable for insurance benefits of dead personnel not paid for close to nine years.

Consequently, the Committee, told the Air officer that a strong letter would be forwarded to the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Hassan Abubakar, “to without further delay, facilitate payment of insurance benefits of husband of the petitioner.

“Incorporate the child of the deceased as a beneficiary of School fees payment by NAF and open window for the honourable exit of the petitioner from NAF with attendant retirement benefits”.

[newtelegraphng]