The Federal Government on Tuesday, began disbursing long-overdue entitlements to retired military personnel, following persistent protests by the veterans.
The ex-servicemen, who had gathered at the Ministry of Finance headquarters in Abuja, started receiving payment alerts while still at the protest site.
This prompted them to pack up the canopies and chairs they had used to barricade the ministry’s entrance and disperse peacefully.
The protest, which began as early as 7 a.m., involved the retirees blocking access to the ministry with makeshift barricades.
Staff members were forced to park their vehicles outside the premises as the retirees demanded the full settlement of their entitlements.
The demonstration followed a similar protest in December, during which the veterans also shut down the ministry in frustration over delayed payments.
Despite official approval for the funds, the retirees had been repeatedly informed that no money was available to clear the backlog of their claims.
Among the grievances listed by the retirees were unpaid salary increments ranging from 20% to 28% for the period between January and November 2024, as well as outstanding benefits such as palliatives for October 2023 to November 2024, an additional N32,000 added to their pensions, bulk payments for the Security Debarment Allowance, and refunds of pension deductions for soldiers discharged on medical grounds.
The Federal Government had paid 50% of the owed entitlements following the December protests, with a promise to settle the remaining balance.
However, the failure to honour this promise led to Tuesday’s renewed demonstration.
Efforts by security personnel and senior officials from the ministry to convince the protesters to leave were met with firm resistance.
The veterans insisted they would not disperse until they received evidence of payment.
Shortly before payment alerts began appearing, the Chairman of the Military Pension Board, Air Vice Marshal Paul Irumheson, addressed the retirees, reassuring them that their funds had been transferred.
He said, “We have received the money for the payment of your entitlements, and in the next few minutes, you will start seeing your alerts. We plead with you to leave as we are making efforts to ensure everyone gets paid.”
Spokesperson for the Coalition for Concerned Veterans, Abiodun Durowaiye-Herberts, later confirmed the alerts, stating, “Our people have started receiving the alerts. We are now evacuating the ministry headquarters to return to our various homes.”
Another leader of the veteran community,Chief Aliyu Umar, also confirmed the development, expressing frustration with the government’s earlier stance.
He remarked, “Yes, we have started receiving our money. They said there was no money—so where did this come from? Do we always have to protest before we are given our entitlements?”
