The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Oluyede, has reaffirmed the commitment of the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) to the welfare, dignity and continued relevance of Nigeria’s military veterans.
General Oluyede gave the assurance when the National President of the Retired Army, Navy and Air Force Officers Association, Major General Hussaini Abayomi Salihu (Rtd), paid a courtesy visit to him at Defence Headquarters, Abuja, on Wednesday, 26 August 2026.
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The visit provided an opportunity for the leadership of the association to formally engage the CDS, who is also the Chief Patron of the association and to strengthen the relationship between the DHQ and the community of retired military officers.
Speaking during the visit, Major General Salihu said the delegation was at Defence Headquarters principally to familiarise itself with the CDS following the assumption of office of the new EXCOs and to foster closer engagement with DHQ. He expressed appreciation to the CDS for the warm reception accorded the delegation and commended the CDS for the deliberate and sustained engagement with veterans across the six geopolitical zones of the country.
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The National President also appreciated the President C-in-C of the Armed Forces of Nigeria(AFN), His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu for improving the welfare of members of the AFN, particularly the current increase in salaries of serving personnel and the consequential adjustments for retired personnel. Major General Salihu further presented a number of requests further aimed at strengthening the welfare and socio-economic relevance of retired military personnel. Among the requests was the establishment of a comprehensive database of members of the association. He explained that such a database would facilitate access to qualified and experienced retired officers whenever companies and organisations require their expertise and services.
In his response, the Chief of Defence Staff General OO Oluyede GCOR thanked members of the association for their service and sacrifices to the nation, stressing that their contributions
