A military veteran and aspirant for the 2025 Ojo Local Government chairmanship, Olumayowa Akogun-Abudu, has raised serious concerns about the alleged mismanagement and misappropriation of funds raised through the Nigerian Army emblem launch.
Speaking to journalists on Thursday, December 26, 2024, at his residence in Ojo Local Government, Lagos State, Olumayowa accused those in charge of the emblem funds of diverting the money away from its intended purpose—supporting veterans. He stated, “There are troubling allegations that the funds generated from the annual Nigerian Army emblem launch, which are meant to support veterans, are being mismanaged and misappropriated. As a result, many veterans are left suffering in poverty.”
He further alleged that the Nigerian Legion, which was established to serve the interests of military veterans, has become compromised under the leadership of Major General Abdulmalik Jubril (Rtd.). Olumayowa pointed out that civilians without military experience have been joining the legion and participating in events like the Armed Forces Remembrance Day alongside actual veterans. “This distortion of the Legion’s original mandate is deeply concerning and calls for immediate investigation,” he said.
Expressing his dissatisfaction, Olumayowa added, “The funds from the emblem launch are clearly not being used for their intended purpose of supporting veterans. There needs to be a full investigation into how these funds are being managed, as well as a review of the operations of the Nigerian Legion.”
He also called for a federal government inquiry into the alleged misappropriation of funds and the participation of civilians in veterans’ events, urging the Defense Headquarters to step in and conduct a thorough investigation.
Additionally, Olumayowa accused a retired Major General of attempting to take control of military veterans’ palliative funds, which has resulted in delays in their disbursement. He revealed that efforts to resolve this issue with the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs had, so far, been unsuccessful.
Olumayowa emphasized the urgent need for transparency and accountability in the management of veterans’ funds and called on relevant authorities to act swiftly to address these concerns.
