SANITIZING NIGERIAN MILITARY

Recent events suggest that the hitherto high profile and respectable military noble integrity and professionalism is dwindling.

Those of us who loves the military more than a french love Paris or more than a Palestine loves Gaza are really deeply disturbed with the nosediving integrity of the proud-chosen profession.

I am not here to pinpoint all the naked internal and regimented wickedness associated with the revered profession; which has caused so many unquantifiable human assets to bow out prematurely.

What is so worrisome in contemporary terms is the level of involvement of our past top Generals, past Service Chiefs and even CDS involvement in thievery of military and National treasure.

We are witness to the flagrant ignominy that have visited us within this modern democracy. We are witness on how our top Generals are regularly implicated in massive corrupt enrichment.

We watch as a powerful CDS was unashamedly handcuffed and paraded into court rooms by 'bloody civilians' in EFCC. Imagine a whole respected four-star General disgraced.

The list of Generals and retired Generals associated with looting is endless. The Dasuki Gate readily comes to mind.

Today, the generality of Nigerians see military within a corrupt spectacle! So shameful. Yet the thievery keeps ongoing! Just yesterday, a two-star General was sentenced to seven years imprisonment and to refund more than N3 billion.

Every patriot feels so ashamed with the despicable repugnant mess from these trusted personalities. How did we even come to this state of overnight corruption that has polluted the military integrity with such new normal financial abominations? What a calamity on the Nation!

As it is right now, nobody can state categorically and convincingly that the military veterans SDA was not tempered with; going by the heartless current payment structure of SDA.

Despite the relentlessness and doggedness of SDA Technical Committee, all what military veterans got is a heartless, insensitive and prolonged payment of SDA, which is expected to be paid once, in line with its philosophy. Nigeria is perhaps the only country where SDA is paid like meal tickets!

The consequences of these financial atrocities are not farfetched. The low level trust on our Generals, both serving and retired are abundantly evident. If the Generals are deficient of trust, who then do Nigerians trust. The other horrendous consequences, as we all know is the low morale and fighting spirit of frontline combatants and the mind-blowing casualties, thereof. Nigerians are fastly loosing confidence in the military

The recent appointment of NSA, a crime fighter who has neither experiences in security nor any war experience lends credence to the mistrust on military top brass. In a Nation prosecuting a deadly terrorists war, the NSA should have been a counter-terrorists or war-tested General. But, due to low level trust on the military Generals, both serving and retired, a retired crime fighter was appointed an NSA. What a massive psychological onslaught on the military!

Today, an information regarding the intended FG palliative rented the air and some veterans were attempting to tear their clothes because MPB was not involved. Conundrum of Hocus-pocus! Perhaps, we want the palliative to be paid quarterly, too, like the SDA.

It is my considered opinion that the current direct dealing with military veterans is a fallout of the dwindling trust on our military top brass! You think they are not aware of the SDA saga? I will not be surprised to wake up one to find out that MPB is headed by a civilian.

Obviously, the revered Nigerian military is in a socioeconomic crossroad....and unless something drastic is done urgently, pigs will start flying around!

The action of the court-martial that recently awarded the Maj Gen with imprisonment and refund of parts of his loots is commendable. It is a commendable internal mechanism to sanitize the system but what happens if a higher ranking and influential officer like the Service Chief or even the CDS is involved? Who will try and prosecute a Service Chief?

I humbly recommend that Nigeria's military authority start a thorough, highly spirited ablution, genuine restitutions and image laundering to regain her lost glory.

Specifically, the current arrowheads in the military should first render unreserved apologies to the Nigerian citizens for the financial abominations perpetrated by past military officers and then strategize on a thorough ablution, restitutions, rapprochement and massive social media and mainstream media sensitization of a born-again Nigerian military with the sole aim of regaining her lost glory.

Remember that Military is the Strength of the Nation.

Prof Humphrey Egonu Patriotic Military Veteran.