Former Chairman of Nigeria Legion, Rivers State chapter, Colonel Diggs Akobo has vowed to sue the Rivers State government to Court if it fails to pay the hardship allowances it owes him within three months.
Speaking to newsmen in recently Port Harcourt, he said during the year he served the state legion from 1998-2008, he made it clear that the Nigeria Legion Act of the Federal Government of Nigeria, he has not receive any kobo from the state government despite building the state legion in Rivers State.
Colonel Akobo who is also the a traditional ruler in Tombia in Degema local government of the state also quoted section 6 which stipulate that, “the national chairman, state chairman and area council chairmen who have served for two years consecutive terms of office shall be made life member of the national council, the state council or the area council in adversary capacity and shall be paid hardship allowance.
The traditional ruler also made it clear that since the members made life members pursuant to the provision of sub-section (5) of this paragraph shall also have the privilege to attend the meeting of the national council, state council and area council and international conference at the expense of the legion.
Colonel Akobo opined that he gave a lot of respect to the former governor of Rivers State, Dr Peter Odili in his wisdom to help the legion under his command to enable the legion grow and improve in the state better than every other legion chairman in the country.
He recall that, the then governor of the state, Dr Peter Odili publicly promised to pay every legionnaire in the state monthly salary while he recruited and employed the legionnaire that secures the state secretariat.
He said as the first batch, the then secretary to the state government, Dr Abiye Sekibo stalled it and what he saw was the use of military in place of the government heroes who would have kept their state in good form and safety.
Colonel Akobo said what the state legion was reaping was the good foundation he laid in the state during his tenure as the state chairman and told the state government to pay him the money due him to enable him settle some of his financial burdens, saying that, other legionaries are also suffering from the allowances the state government ought to have paid them.
He also said he would continue to contribute his own quota to the development of the Nigeria legion as well as the state as he fought for the Nigeria country and also ensure that, the state is safe for indigenes and non-indigenes in the state, urging all legionnaires to remain calm and also defend the country and be their brother’s keeper. He also pleaded with the state government to fulfill all its promises to the legionnaires in the state which the past administration has not fulfill since according to him, government is a continuous process.