Retired Nigerian soldiers on Monday blocked the entrance of the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja, demanding the payment of their outstanding entitlements.
The protest, which started around 10:15am, drew heavy security presence, including personnel from the military, police, and DSS.
One of the protest leaders, Staff Sergeant Simon Ipwu, said the group is demanding payment of their Security Debarment Allowance, unpaid insurance, withheld salaries, and full gratuities.
He explained that they had resigned voluntarily due to frustrations within the army but were punished by having four months’ salaries withheld. He also accused authorities of shortchanging their gratuities and delaying insurance payments.
“We gave them two weeks to respond to our letters, but nothing came. We’re left with no choice but to demand our rights here,” he said.
This is the third protest by retired security personnel in Abuja in less than seven months. The Nigerian Army is yet to respond to inquiries regarding the protest.
