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The Senate Committee on Code of Conduct, Ethics and Public Petitions yesterday frowned the delay in the payment of insurance benefits to dead and retired military personnel. It said it was unacceptable that 174 families are facing the brunt of such delays in the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) alone.
The committee prevented the NAF team led by Wing Commander Mohammed Saleh from arresting Master Warrant Rukayat Ajoke Ishola, who petitioned the Senate over the non-payment of her husband’s insurance benefits and alleged maltreatment by the authorities since Warrant Officer Daramola Taiwo died in April 2016.
The Senate’s displeasure at the delay in payment of insurance benefits to dead or retired military personnel followed the consideration of a petition filed against NAF by Rukayat Ishola. She alleged that payment of her late husband’s insurance benefits was deliberately delayed by the NAF.
She added that maltreatment allegedly meted to her by some officers after the passing of her husband made her abandon her duty post to save her life. Ishola said: I was forced and traumatized to go on away without leave (AWOL) , because my late husband ‘s insurance benefits , was 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.”
An attempt made by her to tender recorded telephone conversations she had with the alleged officers persecuting her, was rebuffed by the committee as it asked the NAF representative to defend the allegations. Saleh said Daramola Taiwo’s insurance benefits were not deliberately delayed as about 174 families are experiencing such delays in payment.
He said: “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.”
ut when asked by the committee to define what he meant by active service, he said, those who died on the battlefield are categorised as dying in active service while those who died naturally were not considered as such before the amendment to the regulation in 2021.
Irked by his submission, the committee Chairman Neda Imasuen and others descended on the military chief, declaring that it was unacceptable for insurance benefits of dead personnel not paid for close to nine years.
The committee told the officer that a letter would be forwarded to the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Hassan Abubakar, “to without further delay, facilitate payment of insurance benefits of the husband of the petitioner”.
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