Retired military officers, under the umbrella of the Retired Members of Nigerian Armed Forces (REMENAF) and the Coalition of Concerned Veterans (CCV), took to the streets of Abuja on Tuesday, December 5, to protest the non-payment of their pensions and entitlements.

They were joined by widows and children of fallen soldiers and blocked access to the Ministry of Defence headquarters in Area 10, Garki.

The group’s spokesperson, Abiodun Durowaiye-Herberts, declared their resolve to stay at the ministry’s entrance until their demands were addressed.

“We are here alongside our wives and children, and the widows of late military personnel and veterans who died in service. We will be sleeping over at this place until the Minister of Defence, Magashi, accedes to our demands.”

The veterans are particularly aggrieved over the delayed payment of the Security Debarment Allowance (SDA), which they claim was approved by former President Muhammadu Buhari but remains unpaid.

Roy Okhidievbie, National Secretary of REMENAF, criticized the Minister of Defence, Maj.-Gen. Bashir Magashi (Retd), for his alleged indifference:

“We have had meetings with the Defence Minister, Magashi, but he appears to be headstrong, heartless, and unperturbed concerning the grievances of retired military officers.

“The President has approved this allowance, but the Minister has refused to make disbursements.”

The plight of widows was also brought to the forefront. Anna Nanven, whose husband was killed in a Boko Haram attack, shared her struggles.

“My husband was killed by Boko Haram terrorists during an attack on the barracks where he worked. I now live with his parents and have five children.

“The eldest, done with high school, cannot afford university because I cannot pay their fees. I am pleading for help; we are suffering and living in poverty.”

The protesters demanded the immediate release of the SDA and the inclusion of all Nigerian Civil War veterans in the pension scheme.

While the Defence Ministry has yet to issue a formal response, this demonstration highlights the enduring grievances of retired military personnel in Nigeria.