Retired Nigerian soldiers have resumed their protests at the Federal Ministry of Finance headquarters in Abuja to demand the payment of their long-overdue entitlements.
The ex-servicemen accused the Nigerian government of neglect and failure to honour promises made following their meeting in August.
Among other demands by the retired military officers were the non-payment of their palliatives and their arrears from October 2023 to November 2024.
The protest marked a resurgence of demonstrations after the ex-servicemen had called off their previous protest on August 4.
At that time, officials from the Ministries of Defence and Finance had assured the ex-soldiers that their outstanding benefits would be paid by August 10.
However, with no payments made, the soldiers returned to the streets, determined to escalate their demands.
“We are here because the promises made to us were never fulfilled. We had no choice but to return to the streets. This time around, the protest will be massive,” said one of the protesters, identified only as Mama G, according to PUNCH.
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Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has warned retired soldiers protesting the non-payment of their demobilisation allowance to vacate the Ministry of Finance premises in Abuja, as their ongoing protest lacks merit.
Speaking through the Director Defence Media Operation, Maj. Gen. Markus Kangye, at a news conference on Thursday, the military high command stated that the veterans’ continued protest at the premises not only lacks merit but also disrupts activities at the finance ministry.
Kangye explained that before the implementation of the minimum wage, there were two charts for calculating soldiers’ gratuity and debarment allowance, in addition to the minimum wage chart.
He said, “The first chart was what we call pre-minimum wage char,t which was effective 1st January 2024 to 28th July 2024. This was the chart based on which some retired soldiers or retired military personnel emoluments were being calculated. Then the second chart was the new minimum wage chart, which took effect from 29 July to date.
“Gratuity and Security Debarment Allowance (SDA) for military personnel is calculated based on the salary chart on the effective date of retirement. So, if a soldier is retired today, the subsisting chart that his involvement will be calculated on will be based on the chart today. If tomorrow another chart comes out, soldiers’ involvement will not be calculated based on that.
“Unfortunately, those soldiers who retired from 1 January 2024 to 28 July 2024 before the implementation of the new minimum wage wanted their gratuity and security debarment allowance to be calculated based on the new minimum wage chart. This cannot be done because the policy of the new minimum wage came into effect on 29 July.
“Thus, soldiers who fall within the category of pre-minimum wage charts are those soldiers who continually protest and construct barricades at the Federal Ministry of Finance despite being educated on the two charts by Defence Headquarters.’
Kangye reiterated that government policies have effective dates of implementation and that the case of soldiers protesting “cannot be an exception.”
He acknowledged the veterans’ right to legitimate protest, but advised them to proceed with caution, emphasising that the veterans’ continued
protest was “seriously affecting the smooth conduct of activities” at the Federal Ministry of Finance.
“The Defence Headquarters acknowledges freedom of legitimate protest, but the veterans are strongly advised to tread with caution and vacate the premises of the Federal Minister of Finance to pave the way for normal government functions to seamlessly be conducted at the Ministry,” Kangye said
