Retired Nigerian Army personnel, under the umbrella of the Voluntary Discharged Soldiers (1st and 2nd Quarter Retirees), have staged a protest at the Ministry of Finance Headquarters in Abuja, demanding the payment of their outstanding entitlements.
The aggrieved veterans blocked the ministry’s main entrance, preventing staff and officials from accessing the building.
Dressed in military camouflage, they demanded the immediate settlement of gratuity shortfalls, Security Debarment Allowance (SDA), parking allowances, 43 months of withheld salaries, and full disbursement of the wage award palliative.
Attempts to pacify the protesters by a senior military officer, an Air Vice Marshal, were unsuccessful as the retirees insisted on meeting their demands before any talks could begin.
Speaking to SaharaReporters, Sergeant Augustine Agommo (Rtd) said the treatment of the retired soldiers was “absurd, ridiculous, and unacceptable.”
He added that the Military Pensions Board dismissed their eligibility for the new minimum wage adjustments, citing their disengagement date of July 1, 2024.
Agommo said, “We are living heroes and deserve to be recognized and treated right, not celebrated as fallen heroes when we are no more. We gave our best years to the nation. Many of us are suffering with our families, while the system continues to deny us what is rightfully ours.”
As of the time of filing this report, activities at the ministry remained disrupted. Protest leaders were, however, invited for talks with top ministry officials, while armed personnel from the Nigerian Army and other security agencies have been deployed to maintain order.
The Military Pensions Board or the Ministry of Finance has yet to respond or issue any official statement.