Military Retirees Protesting Unpaid Entitlements Shut Down Finance Ministry In Abuja

A group of retired military personnel disrupted operations at the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja on Thursday, protesting over unpaid entitlements.

The military retirees accused the federal government of failing to pay a promised 20% to 28% salary increment covering January to November 2024.

They also demanded outstanding palliative payments from October 2023 to November 2024, an additional N32,000 added to their pensions, the bulk payment of the Security Debarment Allowance, and reimbursement for deductions from the pensions of medically discharged soldiers, among other grievances.

Equipped with sleeping mats, chairs, and canopies, the protesters settled in at the finance ministry to make their voices heard.

Retired Colonel Innocent Azubuike, one of the protest leaders, lamented the struggles faced by military pensioners due to the unpaid funds.

He expressed frustration over repeated delays, noting that despite assurances their entitlements would be resolved in November, they were later informed that payments couldn’t proceed due to a lack of financial backing.

“We were told approval has been secured for the payment of our entitlements. The only thing remaining is cash backing,” Azubuike explained.

“We were told to exercise patience and assured that our long-unpaid entitlements would be settled in November.

“November is gone, and there is no indication of when this will happen because it’s a matter with the FMoF and not the Ministry of Defence.”

Meanwhile, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is reportedly set to retire around 1,000 employees as part of a workforce restructuring initiative.