Ikeazor:

The Federal Government says it will commence the payment of pension and death benefits to retired and next of kins of military, paramilitary and police officers who fight on the side of the defunct Biafra republic in the 1967 civil war.

A statement by the management of Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) in Abuja on Wednesday indicated that President Muhammadu Buhari has given approval for the payment of pension entitlements to the affected officers and their next-of -kin.

Some members of the Armed Forces, Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and some paramilitary officers that took part with the secessionist group in the 1967 civil war were earlier dismissed from the service after the war.

The dismissal of the officers was later converted to retirement in 2000 through a presidential amnesty granted on May, 29, 2000 by the administration of  President, Olusegun Obasanjo.

A verification was conducted for the pardoned officers by the defunct police pension office and recently PTAD, on one hand and the Police Service Commission.

In spite of the presidential pardon and verification of the officers, many of them remained unpaid years after the pardon.

According to the statement, PTAD is to commence the payment of  the benefits to retired war affected police officers on Friday in Enugu.

It said the first batch of payment would also involve the payrolling of  162 affected officers and 57 next –of- kin that were yet to be paid the death benefits of their deceased persons..