B’HARAM: SENATE, SERVICE CHIEFS DISCUSS THREAT TO LAGOS

SENATORS and service chiefs held a six-hour meeting in Abuja on Wednesday to review threat to Lagos by the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram.

Present at the meeting, which held behind closed doors at the Senate chamber between 10.56 am and 5.00pm, were the Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Sa’id Ola Ibrahim; Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Azubuike Ihejirika; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral Dele Ezeoba; andChief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh.

Also in attendance were the Director General of the Directorate of State Services, Ita Ekpeyong; the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, represented by Deputy Inspector General (Administration), Suleiman Fakai.

While the security chiefs were billed to brief the senators on their operations concerning curtailing the Boko Hara menace and insecurity generally in the country, our correspondents learnt that the security chiefs were reluctant to give details of their operations.

I N V E S T I G A T I O N : MILITARY BARRACKS IN DISREPAIR ...DESPITE N12 BILLION 2012 BUDGET

Military barracks across the country are in dire need of rehabilitation and in many cases lack enough accommodation for soldiers in spite of the yearly budgets of billions for barracks repairs, Daily Trust investigations have found out.

Our correspondents, who visited military barracks in Lagos, Kaduna, Kano, Bauchi and other places report that many buildings are in a state of disrepair, with broken doors, windows and leaking roofs.

Some barracks, according to the reports, have not been rehabilitated in 30 years, and on some occasions soldiers are called upon to financially contribute to the repair work.

Lack of enough accommodation at certain barracks forces officers to live in buildings meant for their juniors, sometimes two officers in a room.

This is even as the Federal Government has spent over N11.524 billion on construction and rehabilitation of military barracks last year.

RIPPLES IN ARMED FORCES OVER PENSION

–NLC plans mass protest against pension scam

 There has been persistent grumblings in the Nigerian Armed Forces, especially among ranks and files, over non-payment of pension arrears from Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs), Blueprint investigations have revealed.

It is alleged that PFAs, that hitherto handled accounts of the armed forces before their exit from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) in January 2012, are yet to refund arrears due to officers and men of the military by some of the PFAs.

A source, who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity, stated that about 30% of the personnel were paid a token amount ranging from N40, 000 to N140, 000 in October/November 2012.