Nigerian Army Has Abandoned Us – Family Of Newlywed Soldier Killed By Boko Haram Laments Over Unpaid Benefits

 

The family of one of the soldiers killed in the decade-old war against Boko Haram fighters, Abdullahi Bhuwa Usman, has lamented the non-payment of his benefit one year after his death.

Some of his relatives who spoke to SaharaReporters said they had fulfilled the requirements of the Nigerian Army to qualify for the payments; yet nothing was done.

MuchTalksBlog had reported how Usman was killed four weeks after his wedding ceremony by Boko Haram terrorists who engaged the Nigerian military in a four-hour battle to take control of Dikwa in Borno State.

The attack which happened on January 29, 2021 claimed many casualties, including Usman.

A family source had told SaharaReporters that the deceased got married in December 2020 and was looking forward to raising a family when the tragic incident occurred.

“I received the news of Usman's death with deep shock. He just got married on December 27, 2020. I attended the wedding here in Lagos,” the source had said.

"Though he wasn't in attendance physically (at the wedding) because he was on duty, his family members and friends were all here and left with the wife for Borno State that same day.”

Speaking to SaharaReporters, a brother to the deceased begged the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Ge Faruk Yahaya, to pay his life insurance.

He added that they had been abandoned and neglected by the army.

“All efforts to get the life insurance paid had not been successful. We have been on it for so long. The brother came to Ilorin several times but he is always sent back. They claimed it’s not yet time, it’s more than a year he died already; yet the army is claiming the family cannot get his benefits for now.