- Approval affects “63 others whose death benefits are yet to be processed for payments to their beneficiaries”
The Nigerian Army has approved the death benefits to late Head of State, General Sani Abacha.
The approval also affected the families of 63 other deceased Nigerian military officers.
General Abacha was Head of State from from November 17, 1993 until his death in office on June 8, 1998. He was also Chief of Army Staff (1985 to 1990); Chief of Defence Staff (1990 to 1993) and Minister of Defence (August 27, 1993 to November 17, 1993).
A military memo said General Abacha’s family members will receive the benefits alongside 63 other families of fallen soldiers.
He was largely seen as an authoritarian leader who muzzled opposition and the media and was corrupt.
After his death, the Nigerian government uncovered billions of dollars lodged in foreign banks in Switzerland, the United States, and other notorious tax heavens. While some of the billions have been recovered from the loot, a significant amount remained trapped abroad and has yet to be repatriated to Nigeria.
The memo (marked AHQ DOAA/G1/300/167 and dated July 29, 2021, referenced a previous approval of a panel that looked into the matter and marked HQ CAR/G1/300/6/2 on dated July 25, 2021) said the families have been unable to receive their benefits because of a slew of delays that included failures of Next of Kins to file appropriate papers to meet processing requirements of the military.
“Consequent upon the above, I am directed to forward at Annex A above named deceased very senior officer and 63 others whose death benefits are yet to be processed for payments to their beneficiaries,” the memo said.
The military, therefore, asked family members to forward the following documents to HQ CAR in other to expedite the process of paying the death benefits:
a. Condolence letter (three copies)
b. NOTICAS letter (three copies)
c. Sworn in affidavit (three copies)
d. Declaration as to NOK (three copies)
e. Death certificate (three copies)
f. Passport photograph of NOK (three copies)
g. Part 2 orders (three copies)
h. Introduction letter from unit (one copy each)
This story first appeared in Peoples Gazette.
