A 76-year-old military veteran, Colonel Nasiru Salami (retd.), has voiced concerns about the mistreatment of retired Nigerian Army personnel, including unpaid pensions and war bonuses.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief programme during the 2025 Armed Forces’ Remembrance Day, Salami revealed that, despite promises made upon his retirement in 1983, he and fellow veterans have yet to receive their long-awaited war bonuses.
Salami, a civil war veteran, explained that members of the Nigerian Legion in Lagos, over 24,000 strong, are still waiting for payments promised over 50 years ago.
He appealed to the government to honour their commitments and improve the welfare of retired soldiers.
He also expressed regret that, due to his own post-retirement struggles, he would not recommend military service to his children.
“I am their father, and they see that my life is not what they had hoped for,” he said, adding that he would rather encourage them to join other branches of the military such as the Navy or the Air Force, where he believes personnel are treated better.
Recalling his military journey, Salami detailed his rapid deployment to the battlefield in 1967, only six weeks after joining the Nigerian Army. He served for 11 months in the Biafra War, enduring severe injuries, including a near-fatal foot injury.
Despite the pain, he returned to the front lines to continue fighting for his country.
Salami now serves as the Secretary of the Nigerian Legion, Lagos Chapter, continuing to advocate for the welfare of fellow veterans who feel forgotten by the system they served.
