August 04, (THEWILL) — On Monday, some retired soldiers of the Nigerian Army staged a peaceful protest in front of the Federal Ministry of Finance headquarters in Abuja, demanding the immediate payment of their outstanding entitlements.
The aggrieved ex-servicemen voluntarily disengaged in the third and fourth quarters of 2023.
Armed with banners of different inscriptions, they demanded complete payment of gratuity and Salary Deductions Allowance (SDA) based on the new national minimum wage, payment of housing scheme contributions, payment of NAWIS/BenFund, and settlement of their packing allowance.
The protest, which began as early as 7 a.m., left ministry workers stranded for hours, unable to access their offices as the aggrieved ex-servicemen demanded the immediate release of their outstanding entitlements.
The protesters, who said they had served the country diligently for years, expressed frustration over the delay, describing it as unfair treatment after years of service.
One of the retirees, Corporal Umar Faruq (rtd.), said the Military Pensions Board allegedly claimed they are not entitled to the new national minimum wage, having been disengaged on July 1, 2024.
Despite pleas from the Chairman of the Military Pensions Board (MPB), Air Vice Marshal Adamu, who arrived at the scene to pacify the retirees, the protesters refused to disperse, insisting on concrete assurance. They vowed to remain in the premises until funds for their benefits have been released and a payment alert is received.
However, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance and other senior officials urged calm and invited selected representatives of the protesters, alongside the MPB Chairman, for a closed-door meeting to discuss their grievances.
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