Military pensioners protest in Abuja, demand payment of backlog, allowances

Military pensioners staged a protest at the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja on Monday, shutting down the ministry’s premises over unpaid entitlements.

Arriving as early as 8:10 a.m., the protesters blocked the main gate and set up canopies, vowing to remain until their demands are met.

Their key demands include:

Payment of Palliatives: Immediate disbursement of palliative allowances for October and November 2023.

Pension Increment: A ₦32,000 increase in monthly pensions.

Security Debarment Allowance: Bulk payment of the outstanding allowance.

Refund of Deductions: Reimbursement for deductions from the pensions of medically boarded soldiers.

Speaking on behalf of the protesters, retired Colonel Innocent Azubuike said: “We were informed that approval for the payment of our entitlements has been secured. The only delay is the cash backing.

“We were told to exercise patience and assured that our long-overdue entitlements would be settled in November. However, November has come and gone, and there is still no indication of when the payment will be made. The issue lies with the Federal Ministry of Finance, not the Ministry of Defence.”

The pensioners, who brought chairs, mats, and loudspeakers playing music, insisted they would not leave until their demands were met.

This is the second protest at the Ministry within a month. Civilian pensioners recently staged a similar protest, blocking the same gate until the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, addressed them. He had assured the civilians that their payments would commence the following week.