…“We Can Handle Any Gun If Provoked,” Protesters Warn as Friday Deadline Looms
Daud Olatunji
Activities at the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja were brought to a standstill on Monday as hundreds of aggrieved retired soldiers staged a protest over the non-payment of their gratuities, Security Debarment Allowance (SDA), and other statutory entitlements.
The protesting ex-servicemen and women, most of whom voluntarily disengaged from the Nigerian Army between late 2023 and mid-2024, stormed the ministry’s headquarters at dawn, blocking the main gate and halting staff and vehicular movement.
Dressed in military camouflage and chanting protest songs, the retirees carried placards with messages such as “We are living heroes, not corpses to be celebrated,” and “Pay us our four months’ salary cuts, gratuities, SDA and palliatives now!”
They accused the Federal Government and the Military Pensions Board (MPB) of breaching previous agreements and abandoning them after years of dedicated service.
“We disengaged through proper military procedures. Why are we being told we don’t qualify for minimum wage adjustments or palliatives because we left in July?” asked Sgt. Idris Usman (rtd.), one of the protesters.
The vets, many dressed in camouflage, erected canopies and positioned chairs to block the ministry’s main gate, halting vehicular access and drawing a heavy security presence .
“We are retired professionals who can handle any type of gun… If they fail to pay, we may go to another length which the government will not be happy with.”
An ex-soldier, Cpl. Umar Faruq (rtd.), said the group had exercised patience for months, but had now resolved to occupy the ministry indefinitely until their demands were met.
The protest forced top officials of the Finance Ministry and the MPB, including its chairman, Air Vice Marshal Abubakar Adamu, to engage with the aggrieved retirees in a closed-door meeting. Although no official statement was issued after the meeting, insiders revealed that government representatives appealed for more time to address the claims.
Another veteran, identified as Mama G, stated they would pause until alerts of payment are received on Friday.
“They promised Friday. We are giving them benefit of doubt. If no alert, we will reinforce massively,” she said .
A senior member of the group, Col. Innocent Azubuike (rtd.), lamented the government’s failure to fully implement previously approved payments, including palliatives and pension increments.
“This isn’t just a protest. It’s a demand for justice. What we are owed is not charity—it’s our right,” he declared.
The protesters also warned of dire consequences if their grievances remain unresolved. “We are trained professionals who can handle any type of weapon. We don’t want to be pushed into actions that could have been avoided,” one of them warned.
Security operatives, including armed soldiers and police officers, were deployed around the ministry to prevent breakdown of law and order as the demonstration intensified.
Reports indicate that over 700 retired personnel from various service years are affected. Some allege they received as little as ₦3.7 million after 20 years of service—an amount they described as grossly inadequate.
The protest revives unresolved grievances from earlier demonstrations in December 2024 and January 2025, when the same group demanded 20 to 28 percent salary arrears, unpaid palliatives dating back to October 2023, ₦32,000 pension adjustments, and full disbursement of SDA.
While 50 percent of the arrears were paid at the time, the remaining balance is still being withheld, prompting Monday’s renewed action.
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