GOOD NEWS; President Buhari approves the payment of pensions to Biafran Police who served during the civil war.(details)

President Buhari has approved the payments of pensions to retired police officers who served under Biafra during the civil war, the police officers who were granted presidential pardon in 2000 by former president Olusegun Obasanjo has not received a dime from the federal government since they were granted a presidential pardon in 2000 during Obasanjo's regime. Those involved are those who served as defunct Biafran Police during the 30 months bloody civil war.


The payment of pensions will be for only those who were granted presidential pardon in 2000, they are about 162 retired Biafran Police officers and over 57 next of kins of those that lost their lives during and after the 1967 to 1970 civil war. they will be paid their benefits in the first phase of payments with effect from tomorrow in Enugu.

This was made known by the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) in a statement on Wednesday, The PTAD management said, after their pardon a verification exercise was conducted by the defunct Police pension office and recently by the PTAD and Nigerian Police Commission.

“The general public would recall that Nigeria witnessed an ugly Civil War between July, 1967 and January, 1970 and as a result of that unfortunate period in our history, some members of the Armed Forces, the Nigeria Police and paramilitary officers who took part with the secessionist were dismissed from the service,” the statement read.
“The dismissal of those officers was commuted to retirement in the year 2000 through a Presidential Amnesty granted on May 29, 2000 by the Administration of the then President, Olusegun Obasanjo.

“A verification exercise was conducted for the pardoned officers by the defunct Police Pension Office and recently PTAD on one hand and the Police Service Commission on the other.
“Despite the presidential pardon and verification of these officers, many of them remained unpaid years after the pardon. However, the present administration under the able leadership of President, Muhammadu Buhari has graciously given approval for the payment of pension entitlements to these officers and their next of kin.”