The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has reaffirmed its commitment to the welfare of personnel exiting the Armed Forces of Nigeria, stating that it prioritises life after service through structured transition and rehabilitation programmes.
The Director of Support Services, DHQ, Maj.-Gen. Olatokunbo Bello, stated this on Tuesday in Abuja at the closing of a two-day Pre-Retirement Transition Readiness Workshop for senior officers.
Bello said the initiative was designed to equip soon-to-be-retired officers with practical skills, psychological readiness, and legal awareness, helping them adapt to civilian life.
“The essence of this programme is to assist officers who will soon retire from the Nigerian Armed Forces. The Defence Headquarters prioritises life after service, especially for those who have put in 20 to 30 years. It is important to prepare them with skills, advice, and psychological readiness that will follow them into retirement,” he said.
He added that the workshop was interactive to allow participants to share experiences and provide feedback to strengthen future transition initiatives.
“The products of this workshop will be packaged and used to further assist DHQ in preparing officers for the future,” Bello noted.
Delivering a lecture on Legal Affairs, Will Writing, and Retirement Rights, Justice Godwin Iheabunike of the Federal Capital Territory High Court urged participants to prioritise legal preparedness as part of their retirement planning.
Iheabunike said retirement readiness extends beyond financial security to encompass family stability, legal arrangements, and emotional wellbeing. He identified four goals of legal preparedness: preserving wealth, avoiding litigation, securing dignity in retirement, and promoting intergenerational equity.
He advised officers to prepare living wills and ensure proper documentation of pensions, powers of attorney, and other legal instruments, in line with the Pension Reform Act 2014.
“A modest investment of time and professional advice today can avert costly and acrimonious disputes tomorrow,” he cautioned.
The Project Coordinator, Transition Assistance Programme, Ms. Ijeoma Akwara, said the initiative benchmarks aspects of the United Kingdom’s model to ensure transparency and sustainability.
“The DHQ took this to the next level by approving a pilot group to validate the policy framework for the Transition Assistance Programme. The feedback from this pilot will guide a more elaborate version of the programme scheduled for January,” she said.
Akwara added that the programme underscores the Armed Forces’ commitment to ensuring that retiring officers — who have served the nation with distinction — are properly supported to reintegrate into civilian life with dignity and confidence.
