The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, has called on retired military officers and personnel to embrace skills acquisition as a key strategy for improving their post-service livelihoods.
Gen. Oluyede made the appeal on Wednesday at the opening of a three-day skills acquisition programme in Yola, noting that the initiative aims to equip veterans with practical knowledge to build sustainable agricultural ventures across multiple value chains. He said the programme aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s broader poverty alleviation agenda.
Represented by the Army Director of the Veterans Affairs Division, Maj. Gen. Oluwafemi Williams, the CDS expressed concern about the declining purchasing power of many retired service members—a situation he said continues to affect their welfare and that of their families. He explained that this concern prompted the rollout of a nationwide training initiative covering all six geopolitical zones.
The training offers a wide range of vocational courses, including poultry and fish farming, snail farming, animal husbandry, livestock management, irrigation techniques, integrated farming, and modern crop production. Oluyede encouraged participants to build networks with trainers, fellow retirees, and private sector partners to enhance their business opportunities.
In his remarks, the Director of the Veterans Affairs Division, represented by Brig. Gen. Caius Baushe, said the programme would help ex-servicemen better navigate post-retirement challenges. Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, represented by his Chief of Staff, Amos Edgar, commended the Defence Headquarters for the initiative and urged participants to put the knowledge gained into practice.
A retired Air Force officer, Master Warrant Officer Yirka Mark, appealed to federal and state governments to consider deploying able-bodied veterans as forest guards to strengthen security operations in remote areas.
The launch of the programme comes just two months after retired military personnel staged a protest in Abuja over the non-payment of their retirement benefits.
