War veteran says he won’t allow children join Nigerian Army
By Jeffrey Agbo
Col. Nasiru Salami (retd.), a 76-year-old civil war veteran, has voiced his disapproval of his children joining the Nigerian Army, citing the poor treatment of retired soldiers by military authorities.
Speaking during an interview on Wednesday on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief to mark the 2025 Armed Forces Remembrance Day, Salami detailed his military journey and the challenges he has faced since retirement.
Salami joined the Nigerian Army in October 1967 and, after just six weeks of training, was deployed to the battlefield during the Biafran War. He spent 11 months on the frontlines, where he sustained severe injuries, including nearly losing his right foot. Despite the injuries, which required plastic materials to be implanted in his foot, Salami returned to the battlefield.
Reflecting on his experience, the retired colonel said he would not support any of his children to join the army. “For now, I will never recommend any of my children to join the Nigerian Army,” he said. “I am their father and they are seeing me now that my life is not to their expectation. They would want me to be higher than this, full of joy and other things that would make them happy. How would I now encourage them to join the army?”
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Salami disclosed that he advised his two graduate children to consider other branches of the military, such as the Navy or Air Force, which he believes offer better treatment.
As the Secretary of the Nigerian Legion’s Lagos Chapter, Salami revealed that the legion comprises over 24,000 members, many of whom are struggling due to unfulfilled promises by the government. He lamented the non-payment of war bonuses promised to civil war veterans over 50 years ago, as well as the lack of pensions and post-retirement benefits.
I retired in December 1983 and they promised us heaven and earth that they would give us our war bonus but up till now, we have not seen it,” Salami said.
He called on the government to address the plight of retired soldiers and fulfil its promises.
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