Politics

Buhari treating Nigerian soldiers like animals – Fani-Kayode

Published

6 years ago

August 13, 2018

Former Minister of Aviation and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Femi Fani-Kayode, has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of treating Nigerian soldiers like animals.

Fani-Kayode said Buhari had no respect for the Nigerian troops and had refused to pay the troops who had been fighting in the volatile north region their benefits.

He was reacting to the protest staged on Sunday by soldiers of the Special Strike Forces deployed in Operation Lafiya Dole against their posting to Marte, a Local Government Area (LGA) in Northern Borno State.

The former minister said, “Yesterday soldiers threatened to shoot their superior officers in Maiduguri. This was because they were being sent to certain death at the frontline after being posted to Maiduguri for four years without seeing their families or getting all their benefits. This is sad and unfair.

“Our soldiers deserve better. They must be treated with fairness, compassion, decency and respect. They must be paid their salaries and allowances when due and they must be honored for the sacrifices that they are making.

“They must not be treated like animals or, when killed, they must not be buried in secret mass graves like dogs.

“Nations and leaders are meant to honor their soldiers but here we humiliate, shame and disgrace them. This is unacceptable. Buhari has no respect for the military. He only uses them to intimidate innocent Nigerians and crush his enemies.”