Scores of retired military personnel, yesterday, staged a peaceful protest in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) over the non-payment of their entitlements.
The retired soldiers reportedly stormed the main gate of the Federal Ministry of Finance located in the Central Business District area of Abuja unannounced and occupied the place after barricading the main entrance gate.
It was gathered that the retired soldiers were demanding the immediate payment of outstanding shortfalls in their Gratuity, Security Debarment Allowance (SDA), and Parking Allowance. According to reports, the prompt arrival of a senior military officer at the scene to appeal to the angry protesters could not stop the protest, as they remained adamant and refused to vacate the entrance, insisting their demands must be met before any dialogue could commence.
One of the leaders of the protest, Retired Corporal Umar Faruq, also identified as an engineer, lamented what he described as “deliberate neglect” by the authorities. He stated that the Military Pensions Board had informed them they were not entitled to the new national minimum wage adjustments, citing their disengagement date of July 1, 2024, as the basis. “This is unacceptable. We gave our best years to the nation. Many of us are suffering, while the system continues to deny us what is rightfully ours”, he said.
Following the unexpected protest, normal life activities at the Finance Ministry and its environment were temporarily halted. The ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Special Duties, who came to address the angry protesters, called for calm and assured that the Federal Government would promptly address their demands.
Speaking on the development, the Spokesperson of the Military Board, Sqr Ldr. Aliyu Mohamed, disclosed that affected retired soldiers embarked on the protest due to a lack of adequate information about their demands. He, however, clarified that concerted efforts were being made to address the demands based on guidelines guiding the Board on its operations
Mohamed explained that the gratuities for all retired personnel of the periods in question have been paid as scheduled and that claims suggesting otherwise were unfounded and likely based on misinformation.
He added that the Military Pensions Board was responsible solely for the payment of gratuity and pension and that as of the date, all entitled retirees have been duly paid. He, however, reaffirmed that the Board remained committed to the welfare of all retirees and would continue to carry out its mandate with transparency, professionalism and respect for ex-service personnel.
