January 12, (THEWILL) — The Benue State Council of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) has issued a 14-day ultimatum, with a threat to embark on peaceful protest in Makurdi, the state capital, if by January 21, 2026, their demands for payment of 138 months arrears are not met.
“We shall have no choice but to mobilise all pensioners, including those in the 23 Local Government Areas of the state, to Makurdi for a two-day peaceful protest at Benue Pension Commission Office, Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs; Government House, Makurdi on 22nd and 23rd of January, 2026.”
In a statement signed by the State Chairman, Comrade Michael Vembe, and Secretary, Comrade Saater Nyamgen, in Makurdi on Monday, it stated that non-payment of five months’ arrears, which was directed by Governor Alia to be paid to all pensioners, was paid only to state pensioners.
The statement listed non-harmonisation of pensions in Benue State to N32,000 minimum, contrary to the letter Ref NUP/NHQ/08B/VOL.V dated 22nd October, 2024 and the N70,000 Minimum Wage Act of 2024, which has been implemented by the state government to civil servants.
“Consequently, the State Council resolved that, if at the end of December 2025, the payments of the arrears and gratuities as well as the harmonisation are not done, all pensioners in Benue State, including those in the 23 local governments of the state, will be mobilised to Makurdi for the two-day peaceful protest”, it added.
In the foregoing, the union demanded that pension arrears and gratuities inherited from the past administration, which include 96 months for local government pensioners and 42 months for state pensioners, be paid.
The union also demanded that local government pensioners be paid the 5 months’ arrears as has been paid to state pensioners without delay, while harmonisation of pensions in Benue State should be done as directed by the Federal Government, and the minimum pension rate should be N32,000, in accordance with the Minimum Wage Act 2024.
“This, if done, will ameliorate the plight of some pensioners in the state who are receiving as low as N2,000 as their monthly pension, just as some retired Permanent Secretaries are receiving as low as N7,000 while their contemporaries, who have retired recently, are receiving over N300,000 as their monthly pension.
The statement, which was copied to the Secretary to the Benue State Government, the Head of Service of Benue State, and other relevant authorities, called for quick action to avert impending protest action.
Efforts to get a reaction from the Secretary to the Benue State Government, Barr Deborah Aber, proved abortive.
