Security has been reinforced around the Ministry of Defence in Abuja. Retired military personnel are preparing to protest the alleged failure to implement consequential adjustments to their pensions. This planned action is widely recognised as a military retirees pension protest.
According to The Punch, security operatives were deployed around the ministry on Wednesday morning ahead of the demonstration. Personnel took positions along roads leading to the protest venue, anticipating the military retirees pension protest.
Police, soldiers deployed
Personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army, Nigeria Immigration Service and Vehicle Inspection Office were seen around the area. At the same time, armed soldiers also patrolled the vicinity in readiness for the military retirees pension protest.
At least two armoured personnel carriers and more than 15 vehicles belonging to various security agencies were stationed at both ends of roads surrounding the ministry.
As of about 8am, however, the planned demonstration had yet to begin.
Retirees demand pension adjustment
The veterans are protesting what they described as the failure of authorities to adjust their pensions. These pension adjustments should have followed increases in the salaries of serving military personnel.
One of the leaders of the retirees, Col. Innocent Azubike (retd.), said the demonstration was intended to demand their constitutional pension rights.
“We have a protest on Wednesday at the Ministry of Defence to demand our constitutional pension rights,” Azubike said. Furthermore, the event has been widely called a military retirees pension protest by attendees.
He explained that President Bola Tinubu approved a new salary increase for military personnel in November 2025. He said this was accompanied by a consequential pension adjustment for retired personnel.
“In November last year, the President approved a new pay increase for the military, and it came with a consequential adjustment for retirees and pensioners,” he said.
Azubike claimed that senior military authorities acknowledged the approval at the time. However, he said the pension component had still not been implemented.
“But suddenly, in July and August, it was not implemented and they started changing their stories, as if it should be forgotten,” he added.
Fresh salary increase raises concerns
The retired officer also raised concerns over another salary increase announced for serving military personnel in August 2026. This is expected to take effect in September.
He alleged that calculations had already been made for implementing the new increase without making provisions for retired personnel.
“Another military salary increase was announced this August, totally ignoring that of last year. The new announcement is supposed to start implementation in September,” Azubike said.
“They have computed the fund requirement for implementing this second announcement of pay increase. In their computation, they excluded pensioners and the consequential adjustment of pensioners’ pensions. That is the main issue we are protesting.”
Veterans warn of pension disparity
Azubike warned that excluding existing pensioners from consequential adjustments could create significant differences. The result would be in what retired officers of the same rank receive.
He said personnel retiring under the new salary structure could receive substantially higher pensions. This would be more than colleagues of the same rank and similar years of service who left the military earlier.
“The implication is that when they raise the salary of serving personnel, those who will be retiring from the new salary scale, their pension will be far higher than their contemporaries of the same rank and equal number of years of service who had earlier retired,” he said.
US Embassy issues security alert
Ahead of the planned demonstration, the United States Embassy in Abuja issued a security alert to its citizens. They warned of possible disruptions around the Ministry of Defence.
The embassy warned that the turnout could result in traffic congestion and restrictions along Olusegun Obasanjo Way and adjoining routes.
The retirees have maintained that their protest is focused on securing the pension adjustments they believe should accompany salary increases approved for serving members of the Armed Forces.
