As Nigeria remembers its fallen heroes, the co-convener of the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) group, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, has demanded for greater accountability within the army to boost confidence of Nigerians.

Dr. Ezekwesili also asked relevant authorities to put significant reforms in place and ensure that soldiers were adequately funded.

“Our focus on the military and our demand for accountability from our military is due to the necessity to properly resource our soldiers. You cannot have resources that go to our military that ends up in private pockets.

“They must go towards the expenditure originally intended.

“Our military must be a cutting-edge technologically strong military. It requires resources. They should not be stolen but properly utilised to ensure that we have all  the equipment, weaponry, logistics that our soldiers need to effectively conduct themselves against the enemies.

“The military, as an establishment, needs significant reform. In a democracy after militarisation the military would need to build confidence with the society. The checkered history that we have had with the military as an establishment means that it sometimes colours the way that we perceive the human being, the soldier,” she told Channels Television.

The BBOG is also suggesting that the celebration of the nation’s fallen heroes should also include catering appropriately for the welfare of the families they left behind.

The group has had a week-long protest, with several demands from the government, resulting in an invitation from the government for a guided tour of the nation’s northeast were over 200 schoolgirls were abducted in Chibok community.

At the protest held on their usual Unity Fountain ground, members of the BBOG campaign group had in addition to demand for more efforts from the government and military to ensure the release of the remaining abducted Chibok girls, pushed for soldiers’ welfare.

Dr. Ezekwesili, told Channels Television that the focus of the third day gathering was to press for a better welfare for soldiers and officers of the Nigerian Army.