Pension row: Military retirees protest today

Military veterans will stage a protest at the Military Pensions Board office in Dutse Alhaji, Abuja, today (Tuesday) over alleged disparities in pension payments to retired personnel.

This is coming 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.

The Military Pensions Board subsequently announced that it had commenced implementation of the newly approved pension rates following adjustments occasioned by the new minimum wage.

It also said applicable pension arrears had been processed for payment, with credits to pensioners’ accounts commencing on October 2, 2026.

In a statement on Friday, October 9, the board said it held a consultative meeting with representatives of military veterans’ associations to clarify concerns surrounding the implementation of the revised rates.

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

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

“Over 90 per cent of veterans have been criticising and attacking them on that issue. All is set for our protest tomorrow at the military pension board. This time around our protest is going to be massive,” Azubike said.

He faulted a recent meeting between the board and some veterans, alleging that the participants were invited at short notice and did not adequately represent the wider veteran community.

“They just summoned a handful of veterans from around Abuja. They called it a meeting, but it was summoned in less than 24 hours,” he said.

Azubike added that the meeting, after which some veterans reportedly expressed satisfaction with the board’s actions, had triggered further discontent among retired personnel.

“It caused a backlash, a thorough backlash, and heightened anger among the wider veteran community. We are ready for the protest tomorrow at the Military Pensions Board office in Dutse Alhaji. It is going to be massive, and all is set for that,” he stated.

Explaining the grievance, the association said its concern was not only the alleged non-uniform application of the pension adjustment but also the disparity it said the computation method created among retirees of equal ranks and years of service.

He cited an example of how two retired privates who each served for 35 years could receive different pension payments because they retired at different times.

According to him, a soldier who retired in October 2025 on a monthly salary of N100,000 would be entitled to a pension of N90,000, representing 90 per cent of his salary.

With an 80 per cent consequential adjustment, he said the pension should increase by N72,000 to N162,000 monthly.

However, he alleged that the board applied the 90 per cent pension rate to the adjustment amount, resulting in an increase of N64,800 and a revised monthly pension of N154,800.

He compared this with a soldier of the same rank who retired in October 2026 after 35 years of service, using a monthly salary of N180,000.

“At a 90 per cent pension rate, the retiree would receive N162,000 monthly,” he added.

He argued that the calculation created a disparity between personnel of the same rank and years of service who retired at different times.

“This is not the spirit and letter of the constitutional and legal provision for consequential adjustment on the pension of retirees any time there is an increase in the salary of workers,” the statement said.

He also alleged that the computation method could make pension calculations more complicated for retirees with fewer years of service and create room for short-payment.

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Azubike said the planned protest would seek the rejection of any policy or practice that disadvantaged retirees and the conduct of a forensic audit of the Military Pensions Board.

He said the audit would establish the funds released to the board and how the money was utilised in pension payments.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Military Pensions Board, Air Vice Marshal M. Abdulraheem, has reaffirmed the board’s commitment to ensuring that retired military personnel benefit from approved wage and pension adjustments.

Abdulraheem gave the assurance on Monday when he received a delegation from the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission at the board’s headquarters in Abuja.

A statement by the board spokesman, Squadron Leader Aliyu Mohammed, said the delegation visited the board to discuss the implementation of the new national minimum wage and its implications for the pension structure of retired military personnel.

Welcoming the delegation, Abdulraheem expressed appreciation for the visit and reiterated the board’s commitment to implementing approved adjustments, noting that the exercise was a priority because of its direct impact on the welfare of retired servicemen and women.

He said the board was committed to ensuring that pensioners “benefit fully from approved wage and pension adjustments.”

During the visit, the delegation was briefed on the board’s procedures for reviewing pension entitlements, validating records and ensuring that approved adjustments were reflected in pension payments.

The team also interacted with management staff and examined the systems established by the board to promote accurate calculations and timely payment of pensions.

Meanwhile, retired military personnel under the Coalition of Concerned Veterans have threatened to stage a peaceful protest at the Military Pensions Board in Abuja on Thursday.

The coalition, which comprises affiliated veterans’ associations, said it would mobilise retired military personnel from across the country for the protest if the board failed to provide a satisfactory response to its concerns before the scheduled date.

In a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Military Pensions Board, Air Vice Marshal Mikail Abdulraheem, the coalition demanded an urgent review of the pension computation formula, an audit of affected payments, the recalculation of pensions where discrepancies were established, and the payment of outstanding arrears.

The letter, signed by the coalition’s Director at the CCV/REMENAF National Headquarters Liaison Office, Abuja, Blessing Alabala, was also copied to the Ministers of Defence, the Chief of Defence Staff and the Chairman of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, among others.

He said, “We hereby give formal notice of our intention, together with our affiliated veterans’ associations, to mobilise concerned veterans from across Nigeria for a peaceful and orderly protest at the Military Pensions Board, Abuja, at 0800 hours on Thursday, 15 October 2026, should the concerns raised in this letter remain unaddressed by a clear and satisfactory response.”

Alabala said their concerns arose from reports that the methodology being applied to retired military personnel differed from the percentage increases reportedly approved for serving personnel under the recent salary adjustment.

“Our concern arises from reports that the methodology being applied to retired military personnel’s pensions differs from the percentage increases reportedly approved by the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces for serving military personnel.

“This development has generated considerable concern among retired military personnel, particularly in view of the hardship experienced in 2024, when delays in implementing approved increments and settling outstanding entitlements contributed to dissatisfaction and protests among pensioners,” he stated.

According to him, the reported salary increases were 80 per cent for personnel from Private to Staff Sergeant, 50 per cent for those from Warrant Officer to Colonel, and 30 per cent for personnel above the rank of Colonel, including Brigadier-General and equivalent ranks.

The coalition, however, said information attributed to the MPB chairman at a consultative meeting on October 9 indicated that the pension adjustment formula reportedly being applied was based on years of service and rank.

The veterans argued that the methodology could produce outcomes different from those expected under the applicable approvals and implementation directives.

They, however, clarified that their objection was not based on the assumption that every salary increase must automatically translate into an identical percentage increase in every pension calculation.

On the planned protest, the coalition said it preferred a resolution through dialogue but would proceed with the demonstration if its concerns remained unaddressed.