Retired military personnel under the Coalition of Military Pensioners took to the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja on Thursday morning, protesting the non-payment of their salary increments, which range from 20% to 28%, for the period from January to November 2024.
The protesters, representing various chapters of the Coalition, expressed their frustration with the Nigerian Government’s failure to pay their entitlements.
Their demands included the payment of palliatives from October 2023 to November 2024, the N32,000 increment added to their pensions, Security Debarment Allowance (SDA) in bulk, and the refund of deductions made from the pensions of soldiers who were medically boarded.
In response to growing concerns, the Senate had announced in December 2023 that it would conduct a full investigation into the operations of the Military Pensions Board once it resumed from recess. The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Olamilekan Adeola, revealed the plans during the defense of the budget report by the Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Service.
Adeola questioned the operations of the Military Pensions Board, including its budget and the number of retirees who reportedly receive their payments.
Additionally, during the budget discussions, an extra N20 billion was requested for the construction of an office building for the board and the renovation of phases 1 to 4 of the federal secretariat. The pensioners’ protests have underscored the need for urgent action on their outstanding entitlements.
