The Federal Government, on Friday, December 6, 2024, began paying entitlements to military retirees, settling a long-running dispute over unpaid benefits. This follows months of frustration, where retirees were informed of insufficient funds despite earlier approvals.
The retirees, who were owed a 20% to 28% salary increase for January to November 2024, staged a protest at the Ministry of Finance on Thursday, December 5.
They set up chairs, canopies, and sleeping mats, preparing for an extended demonstration until their demands were met.
Their demands included payments for palliatives from October 2023 to November 2024, a bulk disbursement of the Security Debarment Allowance, a N32,000 pension increase, and refunds for deductions from the salaries of medically discharged soldiers.
By Friday, some retirees had started receiving their payments, leading to the suspension of the protests.
Abiodun Durowaiye-Herbert, Chairman of the Retired Members of Nigerian Armed Forces Board of Trustees, confirmed the payment.
“We have started receiving our benefits; that’s why the protest did not hold today,” he stated.
In a statement from the Ministry of Defence, Minister of State Bello Matawalle praised President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to military welfare.
He also confirmed the implementation of a three-month salary increase for active military personnel, with some already receiving payment alerts.
