Don’t play with soldiers’ welfare, Reps tell army

The House of Representatives on Thursday said the military must not play with the welfare of its men and officers especially those fighting the insurgency and other criminalities in the country.

Chairman, House Commitee on Army, Abduralsak Namdaz, said this when the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Burutai and other officers came for the defence of the 2021 budget proposals.

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He advised the army to ensure professionalism in all its operations.

He also urged the army to sustain the tempo in local manufacturing of military hardware.

“The welfare of the personnel should not be taken for granted. People cannot lay their lives for us and not taken care of.  We don’t want to hear stories that they’re not getting their allowances,” he said.

Buratai, represented by Lt. Gen. Lamidi Adeosun, said the army “will continue to remain professional. Wherever we observe some lapses, we’ll continue to improve to serve Nigerians, serve the country the way the constitution of this country mandates us to serve.”