Dozens of retired military personnel staged a protest at the Federal Ministry of Finance headquarters in Abuja on Monday, demanding payment of outstanding gratuities, Security Debarment Allowance (SDA), parking allowances, and salary shortfalls.
The ex-servicemen, who began their demonstration as early as 7 a.m., effectively blocked access to the ministry, leaving workers stranded for hours.
The protesters, comprising both male and female retirees, carried placards with messages highlighting their plight. “We are living heroes and deserve to be recognized,” read one sign, while another demanded full payment of benefits for voluntary discharges in 2024.
Despite intervention attempts by Military Pensions Board (MPB) Chairman Air Vice Marshal Adamu, the veterans refused to disperse without concrete assurances.
The standoff prompted the Permanent Secretary of the Finance Ministry and other senior officials to invite protest leaders for closed-door discussions.
Corporal Umar Faruq (rtd.), one of the protesters, revealed their key grievance: the MPB’s alleged claim that retirees disengaged on July 1, 2024, are not entitled to the new national minimum wage.
As negotiations continued, some retirees vowed to remain on-site until receiving confirmation that payment alerts would be issued.
The protest highlights growing tensions over delayed military benefits, with similar demonstrations reported in recent months across various states.
