A group of retired Nigerian Army personnel staged a protest in front of the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja on Monday, demanding the immediate payment of their outstanding entitlements.
The ex-soldiers, who voluntarily disengaged from service in the third and fourth quarters of 2023, officially retired on July 1, 2024.
The protest, which began at 7:00 a.m., effectively shut down access to the ministry headquarters for several hours, leaving civil servants and other visitors stranded.
Carrying placards and chanting slogans, the aggrieved veterans called attention to several unresolved issues related to their post-service benefits.
Their demands include full payment of gratuities, Salary Deductions Allowance (SDA) based on the new national minimum wage, outstanding housing scheme contributions, NAWIS/BenFund entitlements, and their packing allowance.
Speaking to journalists at the scene, some of the retirees, comprising both male and female personnel decried what they described as unjust delays and bureaucratic neglect, despite dedicating years of loyal service to the country.
“This is not how people who served this nation should be treated,” said Corporal Umar Faruq (rtd.), an engineer among the protesters. He added that one of their main grievances is the Military Pensions Board’s reported refusal to calculate benefits using the new minimum wage, claiming the retirees were not eligible since they disengaged on July 1, 2024.
Efforts to calm the situation were initially unsuccessful. Air Vice Marshal Adamu, Chairman of the Military Pensions Board, arrived to address the protesters but was met with resistance, as the retirees insisted on clear, verifiable assurances regarding their payments.
Later in the morning, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance and other top officials intervened and invited a delegation of the retirees, alongside the MPB Chairman, for a closed-door meeting to deliberate on the issues.
As of the time of filing this report, the meeting was still ongoing. However, some of the protesters vowed not to vacate the ministry premises until a firm commitment was made and payment alerts began to reflect in their accounts.