The Nigerian Senate has voiced strong disapproval of the military’s delays in disbursing insurance benefits to deceased and retired personnel, affecting 174 families in the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) alone. The Senate Committee on Code of Conduct, Ethics, and Public Petitions, led by Senator Neda Imasuen (LP, Edo South), addressed the issue following a petition from Master Warrant Officer Rukayat Ajoke Ishola, who alleged non-payment of insurance benefits for her late husband, Warrant Officer Daramola Taiwo, who died in April 2016.
Ishola’s petition outlined the delays in her husband’s insurance payment and the denial of educational benefits for her child, which are typically provided to children of fallen military personnel. She also claimed that harassment from certain NAF officers forced her to go absent without leave (AWOL) to protect herself.
In response, Wing Commander Mohammed Saleh explained that the delays were unintentional and acknowledged that many NAF families were experiencing similar issues. He stated that Ishola’s late husband was not entitled to educational benefits for their child, as he did not die in “active service,” a designation applied only to those who die in combat or field duty, as per regulations amended in 2021.
Senator Imasuen and the committee found this explanation unacceptable, emphasizing the prolonged wait for benefits that have been due for nearly nine years. The committee announced plans to send a formal letter to the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, urging prompt payment of Ishola’s husband’s insurance benefits. They also recommended that Ishola’s child be included in the NAF’s school fees program and called for Ishola’s honorable discharge from the NAF with full retirement benefits.