Military retirees shut down Finance Ministry in Abuja over unpaid entitlements
In a bold move, military retirees from the Nigerian Armed Forces, under the umbrella of the Coalition of Military Pensioners, shut down the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja on Thursday morning. The retirees, who came from different chapters, are protesting the non-payment of their 20% to 28% salary increment from January to November 2024.
The protesters are demanding payment of palliatives from October 2023 to November 2024, payment of N32,000 added to their pension, payment of Security Debarment Allowance (SDA) in bulk, and refund of deductions made from the pensions of medically boarded soldiers, among other entitlements.
The Senate had announced plans to investigate the Military Pensions Board in December 2023, with the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Olamilekan Adeola, questioning the board’s operations, budget, and the number of retirees who receive payment.
The protesters vowed to continue their demonstration until their demands are met, urging the government to take immediate action to address their grievances
Retired Colonel Innocent Azubuike, one of the leaders of the movement, expressed the retirees’ frustrations, stating that the government’s failure to honor its commitments has left them in severe financial hardship. The protesters vowed to continue their demonstration until their demands are met, urging the government to take immediate action to address their grievances.
