By Muhammad Mamman
In a striking display of resolve, retired Nigerian Army soldiers, identifying as Voluntary Discharged Soldiers of 2024, brought operations at the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja to a standstill yesterday. The protest, which began at 7 a.m., saw the former servicemen and women block the ministry’s main gate, stranding workers and demanding the immediate release of their unpaid gratuities, Security Debarment Allowance (SDA), pension adjustments, and other entitlements.
Clad in military camouflage and wielding placards with poignant messages, the protesters voiced their frustration over what they described as prolonged neglect by the Federal Government. “We are living heroes and deserve to be treated right—not celebrated as fallen heroes when we are gone,” read one placard. Another demanded, “Full payment of our benefits, including gratuity shortfalls, SDA, parking allowance, and four months’ salary cuts.”
The retirees, primarily from the first and second quarters of 2024, expressed outrage over claims by the Military Pensions Board (MPB) that they are ineligible for recent national minimum wage adjustments and palliative awards due to their discharge on July 1, 2024. “We formalized our disengagement through the system, yet we’re told we don’t qualify for basic entitlements,” said Sgt. Idris Usman (retd), a visibly frustrated protester, to gathered journalists.
Corporal Umar Faruq (retd) echoed the sentiment, highlighting the group’s core grievance: “After risking our lives for this nation, we’ve been met with abandonment. We’ve been patient long enough.”
Efforts by Air Vice Marshal Abubakar Adamu, Chairman of the MPB, and senior military officers to pacify the protesters proved futile as the ex-soldiers stood firm, vowing to occupy the ministry until their demands were met. Their solidarity songs and resolute stance underscored years of pent-up frustration.
In a bid to de-escalate, top Finance Ministry officials invited representatives of the retirees and the MPB Chairman for a closed-door meeting. While no official statement was issued post-meeting, sources indicate the government appealed for time to address the grievances in collaboration with the MPB.
Security forces have since been deployed to maintain order around the ministry, as the nation watches closely for a resolution to this impassioned standoff.
