By Stephen Simon
Retired military personnel on Tuesday barricaded the entrance to the Military Pensions Board office in Dutse Alhaji, Abuja, protesting what they described as an unfair formula for calculating pension adjustments.
The veterans reportedly arrived at the premises early in the morning and blocked access with chairs and canopies to press their demands for a review of the disputed payments.
Armed soldiers were deployed to the premises, preventing the protesters from entering the office.
The demonstration followed an earlier protest by retired military personnel at the Ministry of Defence in September over the implementation of pension increases approved for serving members of the Armed Forces.
The retirees are demanding that their pension adjustments reflect the salary increases granted to serving military personnel, arguing that the formula being applied does not adequately reflect the approved changes.
One of the protest coordinators, retired Lieutenant Colonel Innocent Azubike, said the veterans were dissatisfied with the manner in which the adjustments were being calculated.
The dispute comes after Defence Minister Christopher Musa (retd.) reportedly assured the retirees in August that their pensions would be increased in October following President Bola Tinubu’s approval of salary increases for serving military personnel.
The protesters insist that the issue goes beyond announcing an increase, arguing that the actual amounts paid must reflect the adjustments they believe they are entitled to receive.
The demonstration has renewed attention on the welfare of retired service personnel, many of whom depend on their pensions to meet their daily needs after years of service to the country.
As of the time of the reports, an official response from the Military Pensions Board addressing the retirees’ specific allegations was not immediately available.
