Don’t neglect wounded, disabled veterans — Ex-Defence chief

The former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), retired Gen. Lucky Irabor, has advocated for special support for wounded and disabled veterans to accelerate the morale and effectiveness of personnel.

Irabor made the call while delivering a lecture titled “Armed Forces Celebration and National Development” at the Armed Forces Celebration and Remembrance Day 2025 Lecture and Art Exhibition, on Tuesday in Abuja.

The event was organised by the Defence Headquarters as part of activities lined up to commemorate the 2025 celebration.

According to him, the plight of servicemen and women who were wounded or disabled leaves a heartbreaking tale in the minds of everyone.

“This could indirectly demoralise serving personnel. It could even make veterans go into depression due to possible regrets of patriotic services rendered to the nation.

“To redress this, it is suggested that special support could be organised for better care of wounded and disabled active-duty and retired military personnel.

“I am aware of the ongoing construction of the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder facility and the Invictus Games project.

“It is very essential that these projects are completed, fully furnished, well-equipped, properly manned, sustained, and well-publicised for the benefit of the Armed Forces.

“The projects will also improve the perception of the Federal Government and the nation in general as a grateful people for patriotic services rendered,” he said.

Irabor also called for a comprehensive healthcare programme for veterans, adding that the quality of life of veterans had continued to depreciate daily when juxtaposed with the inflationary trends.

According to him, even with prompt payment of monetary entitlements, the value pales when healthcare-related issues are tied to the disposable income of the veteran.

He said that the current Defence Healthcare Insurance policy for personnel was not comprehensive, with many ailments and medical cases not covered in the policy.
The former defence chief said that a special-purpose vehicle for comprehensive healthcare for veterans would be invaluable in addressing the challenge.
He suggested that a programme of appreciation should be instituted to help develop a citizens’ culture of expressing gratitude to service personnel to become part of public life.

He said that prompt payment of entitlements to serving and retired personnel was critical to the morale and survival of personnel to avoid the ugly sight of veterans’ protests.

This, according to him, could also potentially engender feelings of resentment in active-duty personnel, especially seeing the despicable treatment meted out to veterans.

He also called for the establishment of an affordable housing scheme and foundations for veterans with special needs.

In his closing remarks, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, lauded the former defence and service chiefs for their contributions to the discussion.
Musa promised to ensure judicial utilisation of the funds allocated to the military, pledging to work hard to ensure the return of peace to all parts of Nigeria.