On Thursday morning, retired military officers sealed off the Federal Ministry of Finance headquarters, demanding overdue entitlements. Arriving with mats and canopies at 7:30 a.m., they protested the non-payment of a 20–28% salary increment from January to November 2024.
Led by retired Colonel Innocent Azubuike, they cited untold hardship and emphasized that the Ministry of Defence had completed its role, leaving only the cash backing by the Finance Ministry.
Their demands include palliatives from October 2023 to November 2024, N32,000 pension adjustments, Security Debarment Allowance bulk payment, and refunds of deductions from medically boarded soldiers’ pensions. Despite prior assurances, the delay prompted the protest, with retirees pledging to remain until their dues are paid.
Colonel Azubuike noted, “November is gone, and there’s no clarity from the Finance Ministry on when this will happen.”
