JUST IN: Protesting military retirees block pensions board entrance in Abuja

The military retirees. Photo: Solomon Odeniyi

Military veterans on Tuesday blocked the entrance to the Military Pensions Board office in Dutse Alhaji, Abuja, over concerns about the formula adopted for adjusting their pensions.

The veterans barricaded the entrance with canopies and chairs, while armed soldiers prevented them from entering the premises.

The action comes weeks after military retirees protested at the Ministry of Defence in September, demanding an increase in their pensions following salary adjustments for serving military personnel.

The Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, had promised that the retirees would receive an increase in October.

Speaking in an interview with our correspondent on Monday, the Coordinator of the Veterans Association of Nigeria, Lt. Col. Innocent Azubike, accused the board of adopting a pension adjustment formula that allegedly short-changed some retirees.

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Azubike said the planned protest followed growing dissatisfaction among veterans over the implementation of consequential adjustments to their pensions.

The veterans’ concerns centre on the formula used to calculate the adjustments, which they believe has failed to adequately reflect the salary increases granted to serving military personnel.

The latest action underscores the continuing disagreement between military retirees and the authorities over the implementation of the promised pension adjustments.

Details later…

Solomon Odeniyi is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over six years of professional experience. He has covered key national beats including the judiciary, military, and police, and currently reports on anti-corruption and related issues. Solomon’s work reflects a strong commitment to development-oriented reporting, public interest journalism, and accountability.

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