The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has called on retired military personnel to position themselves as strategic national assets by actively participating in politics, governance and policy advocacy.
He made the call on Wednesday, 18 February 2026, while receiving the Chairperson of the National Council of the Nigerian Legion, Ms Grace Morenike Henry, during a courtesy visit to the Army Headquarters in Abuja.
Lieutenant General Shaibu said veterans possess leadership capacity, discipline, crisis-management skills and deep exposure to national security dynamics, which uniquely qualify them to contribute meaningfully to legislative and executive processes in the country. He noted that their experience could strengthen national development and enhance institutional effectiveness across both public and private sectors.
The COAS stressed that sustainable welfare for veterans must be driven by deliberate policy frameworks, predictable funding structures and coordinated institutional mechanisms capable of delivering long-term impact. According to him, the strength of a professional military institution is measured not only by its operational effectiveness but also by the dignity and support extended to its veterans after service.
He emphasised that the sacrifices of officers and soldiers, many of whom have served in complex operational environments across Nigeria, must be matched with resilient post-service support systems that reflect national gratitude and strategic foresight. He added that leading military institutions around the world have established comprehensive veterans’ welfare systems backed by strong legislation, clear policy direction and guaranteed funding.
Lieutenant General Shaibu therefore urged constructive engagement with the National Assembly, particularly the Senate and House of Representatives, to promote legislative initiatives that will strengthen veterans’ welfare and reinforce the nation’s security architecture. He also noted that many retirees with administrative, logistics and clerical expertise could be redeployed as human resource consultants, management professionals and institutional advisers.
The Army Chief further encouraged veterans to document and publish their professional experiences, describing such intellectual contributions as vital to preserving institutional memory, enriching strategic discourse, generating sustainable income and inspiring future generations of military personnel.
Earlier, Ms Henry highlighted key structural challenges confronting retired personnel and those approaching discharge. She identified low public awareness of the statutory mandate of the Nigerian Legion and limited societal appreciation of its responsibilities as major concerns.
She observed that attention to veterans’ welfare often peaks during the annual Armed Forces Celebration and Remembrance Day, rather than being sustained throughout the fiscal and policy cycle. The Chairperson also pointed to the absence of a dedicated budget line for veterans’ affairs in the national appropriation framework, which has led to reliance on ad-hoc interventions and inconsistent funding.
She therefore advocated the establishment of a fully funded ministry dedicated to veterans’ affairs to provide institutional clarity, coordinated policy direction and sustainable funding for veteran-focused initiatives across the country.
In a statement, the Acting Director Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, said the engagement reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to a holistic and policy-driven approach to veterans’ welfare anchored on legislative support, fiscal responsibility, institutional coordination and national recognition of service.
