Army hands out cheques to families of 62 soldiers who died fighting Boko Haram

NIGERIA'S military high command has made an emergency payment to the families of the 62 soldiers who lost their lives in a confrontation with Boko Haram terrorists in Zaman Lafiya in Borno State.

 

Once one of Boko Haram's strongholds,  Zaman Lafiya was used as a base where it trained recruits and indoctrinated young men abducted from surrounding towns and villages. In the bloody battle to reclaim the town,  62 lives were lost and yesterday, the army high command decided to honour the fallen soldiers' next of kin.

 

Major-General Adamu Abubakar, the chief of administration of the Nigerian Army, presented the cheques to the soldiers' families in Abuja. He said the cheques were provided by the office of the National Security Adviser and were part of the palliatives put in place to cushion the effects of the immediate families of the fallen heroes.

 

“They cheques are not  part of their statutory payment, they are just a relief for the families of our fallen heroes in the northeast. I must reiterate that the affected families should try as much as possible to start processing the benefits of their breadwinners early, so that we can make prompt payment.

 

“After this, you still have a lot to collect, as you have the group life assurance claim, the benevolent fund, the Nigerian Army Welfare Insurance Scheme and the gratuity of the soldiers. And the last one will be the sponsorship of children who are below the age of 18 from nursery school up till the university level, which the Nigeria Army will take responsibility for, " Major-General Abubakar added.

 

One of the beneficiaries, Esther Odigie, said she was grateful for the gesture, as the amounts given to them would go a long way in helping their families. Another beneficiary, Helen Makwusuba, thanked the Nigerian Army for the gesture, adding that the money would assist her in taking care of her children.