- The committee identified cases where outstanding death benefits had been delayed for more than ten years
- Those who died naturally were not considered as such prior to the amendment of the regulation in 2021
The Senate is concerned about cases of unpaid death benefits in the military, claiming that this development has caused hardship for the families of deceased personnel.
During a hearing in Abuja on Tuesday, its Committee on Code of Conduct, Ethics, and Public Petitions expressed concern about the situation.
Sen. Neda Imasuen chairs the committee.
For example, the panel heard that 174 Nigerian Air Force families had not received death benefits for their loved ones.
The committee identified cases where outstanding death benefits had been delayed for more than ten years.
This came as the committee foiled an attempt by NAF officers led by Wing Commander Mohammed Saleh to Master Warrant Rukayat Ajoke Ishola, who petitioned the Senate over her husband’s non-payment of insurance benefits.
She had also alleged that the Air Force authorities subjected her to maltreatment since the death of her husband, Warrant Officer Daramola Taiwo, in April 2016.
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 other benefits, including the payment of school fees by NAF like the children of other late officers.
She further told the panel that the maltreatment meted out to her by some officers after the demise of her husband in April 2016 made her abandon her duty post as a way of saving her life.
The widow narrated her case more: “I was forced and traumatised to go away without leave (AWOL) because my late husband ‘s insurance benefits were deliberately not paid; my child was denied school fee payment by NAF in line with military tradition and unwarranted persecutions from some officers and life-threatening postings.”
She made attempts to tender recorded telephone conversations she had with the alleged officers persecuting her, which was rebuffed by the committee as it called on the NAF representative to defend the allegations.
Responding to 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 are about 174 families in the Air Force 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 fee payment by NAF since the husband of the petitioner did not die in active service, just as the allegation made on alleged maltreatment or persuasion is unfounded.”
However, when asked to define what he meant by active service, he said those who died at the battlefront or field were categorised as dying in active service, while those who died naturally were not considered as such prior to the amendment of the regulation in 2021.
Not satisfied by the explanations, the committee told the 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 the husband of the petitioner.
“Incorporate the child of the deceased as a beneficiary of school fee payment by NAF and open a window for the honourable exit of the petitioner from NAF with attendant retirement benefits.”