Retired soldiers plan mass protest over pension arrears

Military pensioners in the country have threatened to embark on a series of protests over alleged refusal of the Federal Government to pay them their arrears of the 53 per cent pension increase of 2010 and alleged illegal deduction from their pension among others.

The pensioners have directed all military pensioners across the country to mobilise in preparation for a series of protests over what they described as the non payment of the arrears and illegal deduction of funds from their allowances.

The pensioners are also complaining in bitter terms about the pension review of 2003 salary increase effected without the monetised pensionable allowances for the year and the approval of the 15 per cent pension increase for an average of 99 per cent salary increase in 2007.

The pensioners’ threat was contained in a statement by their leaders, Col. P.A Zubair, Col. HI Ikoghode and Capt. CD Roberts on Sunday.

They appealed to the President to intervene in the problem of effective pension payment to the ex-servicemen to avert the planned protests.

They said, “Let it be known that we are not ready to forfeit any part of our entitlements that have been illegally deducted from our pension over the years. If this government has held onto our arrears since 2010 and is now making press statements on issues that were never agreed upon, then the government can no longer be trusted.

“We therefore appeal to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to use his good offices to urgently address the perennial problems of military pensioners as failure to do this will result in continuous protests until our demands are met.

“All military pensioners nationwide are immediately required to step up mobilisation for the next series of protests at a short notice.”

The ex-service men said they shelved a January 15 planned protest, meant to coincide with the Armed Forces Remembrance Day, following a meeting with officials of the Ministry of Finance, where “paltry three months arrears of the illegal 33 per cent increment” was offered to them.