The war-affected police officers from the Old Eastern Region who were pardoned and retired from the Nigeria Police Force through a Presidential Amnesty granted on May 29, 2000 by the administration of the then President Olusegun Obasanjo and were given approval for the payment of pension entitlements have said that they believed we are all one and that the war is over and over forever.
They also thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for approving the payment of their pension entitlements.
The President of Association of Retired War Affected Police Officers (ARWAPO), Chief Matthew Udeh, thanked Mr President for his forthrightness and believing in one Nigeria.
He said: “We believe we are all one, one Nigeria forever. The war is over and over forever.
“God will continue to bless President Muhammadu Buhari for looking at the nation as one indivisible entity.
“I feel fulfilled today. The whole ARWAPO members are full of gratitude to Mr President for hearing our cry for over 40 years and running,’’ Udeh, who was an Assistant Superintendent of Police before the war, said.
Also the President, Association of Retired Police Officers of Nigeria, Mr Fidelis Oyakhilome, thanked the PTAD and the Federal Government for living up to their words and treating the officers fairly. “I must commend ARWAPO members for their patience, endurance and perseverance all these years and as well thank Mr President, President Muhammadu Buhari, for making this possible,’’ Oyakhilome said.
At the launch of the Pension Payments to Retired War-Affected Police Officers in Enugu, the Executive Secretary of Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), Mrs Sharon Ikeazor, said that the Federal Government through President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration would end all the painful legacies of the war.
Ikeazor said that Mr President tended to fulfill all Federal Government’s obligation to the South-East in line with available resources.
“This represents another decision by the current Federal Government to bring closure to the painful legacies of the civil war, and indeed a clear demonstrate that President Muhammadu Buhari is indeed a father to all Nigerians.
“His (Mr President) administration’s reforms under the PTAD will ensure that Nigerians who spent the productive years of their lives serving their nation will not experience difficulties in getting their pensions,’’ she said.