October 03, (THEWILL) – Master Warrant Officer Edet Etim Okon, a 65-year-old retired naval officer from Akpabuyo LGA of Cross River State, has recounted his ordeal and maltreatment during his service to the nation.
Edet Okon, who enlisted in 1981, said in the course of his service, he lost his child, wife, family, as well as household properties.
He disclosed that terrible things happened to him and he is still in search of justice despite the fact that he has retired from service.
Recounting his ordeal to THEWILL in Calabar, Edet Okon said after training, he was sent to Navy Town and was allocated Block 169, Apartment 11.
According to him, after the coup of General Mohammadu Buhari, he was posted to Abuja, while there, his house at Navy Town was attacked, properties looted and reallocated.
He said, “They spoilt my door and put a junior officer in my apartment without my knowledge.”
He said this action exposed his family to severe pains because they became homeless and as a result, he lost his three months old baby boy due to homelessness.
“My wife waited for the Navy to vacate that man from my apartment and all efforts proved abortive.
“Upon the death of my five months old son, my wife left me, so I lost my son, wife, family, everything in my house and till today they have not compensated me.”
He said again in 2000, the NNS way, which is in charge of allocating apartments, again, sent someone to another apartment which was allocated to him and they again broke into it.
In addition to this, he disclosed that he was not due for retirement as at 2013 when he was forcefully retired.
He said the then Chief of Naval Staff muddled his service years by cutting his retirement and using it to augment the money he was accused of stealing by the EFCC.
He revealed that till date, he only receives his pension and not his gratuity, in addition to several other benefits that ought to have accrued to him.
He added that the authorities of the Nigerian Navy have been tormenting him for over 30 years and he has lost confidence in the ability of the Navy to bring this matter to an end.
He said he had on a number of occasions, been exonerated of any wrong doing by the Naval authorities, but has not been compensated for his loss, particularly his properties.
He appealed to President Tinubu to intervene in his matter and get the naval authorities to restitute him for the losses he suffered while serving the nation.
Several efforts to get an official response from the Eastern Naval Command of the Nigerian Navy proved abortive.
An official, who refused to give his name, said the “head office (Abuja) is the right channel to react to the issue.”
About the Author
THEWILL Correspondent, Aniekan Bassey has over six years experience that spans across several fields in print journalism including development communication, sexual reproductive and health rights issues, crime, climate change, social justice, business and human interest stories.
