…demand consequential pension adjustment
Military pensioners on Wednesday protested in Abuja amid tight security to demand immediate implementation of consequential adjustments to their pensions following salary increases approved for serving military and paramilitary personnel.
The protesters, under the aegis of the Veterans Association of Nigeria, gathered near the Ministry of Defence, carrying placards demanding that the Federal Government urgently review their pensions in line with increases in the salaries of serving personnel.
The protest also focused on the alleged exclusion of retired military personnel from the latest salary increase approved by President Bola Tinubu, which the pensioners said is expected to take effect from September 2026.
Security operatives, including soldiers, police officers and personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), were deployed around the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces Complex as the protesters attempted to move towards the ministry.
Armoured personnel carriers were also stationed around Ship House, the Ministry of Defence, and the Armed Forces Complex.
The heavy security presence prevented the pensioners from accessing the ministry, with soldiers cordoning off the area and blocking the retirees from assembling in front of the facility.
The development led to a confrontation between some serving soldiers and the retired personnel as the protesters attempted to move towards the ministry.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, a retired Lieutenant Colonel, Innocent Anas, said the demonstration was aimed at demanding the implementation of outstanding consequential adjustments to military pensions.
He disclosed that President Tinubu had approved a salary increase for military and paramilitary personnel in November 2025, but the increase had yet to be reflected in the pensions of retired personnel.
“Since last year, November last year, Mr. President approved the new salary increase for the military and the paramilitary; it’s been in the news all over.
“November last year, this is August this year; they have not implemented it as if it’s a scam, and then a new pronouncement comes up again,” he said.
According to him, the failure to adjust the pensions of retired personnel whenever the salaries of serving personnel are increased creates disparities among retirees who served in the same military.
He argued that the latest salary structure, reportedly placing the minimum wage of serving personnel at about N180,000 from September 2026, should also provide for corresponding adjustments to military pensions.
“The issue is the recent increase in pay. If they want to implement this new one that places the minimum wage at about ₦180,000, there should be consequential adjustment in the pay of pensioners,” Anas said.
He maintained that such an adjustment was not a favor to retirees but a right which, according to him, was supported by the Constitution, the Armed Forces Act, and relevant military financial regulations.
“We have paid our dues in patriotic service to this nation. There is a constitutional provision that when you increase the pay of any personnel, there should be a consequential allowance and a consequential adjustment for pensioners,” he said.
Anas warned that continued failure to harmonize pensions with salary increases could result in junior officers who retired more recently receiving higher pensions than senior officers who retired years earlier.
He said a retired captain, for instance, could eventually receive a pension comparable to that of a lower-ranking officer who retired more recently because the latter’s pension was calculated on a higher salary structure.
“We all served the same military. It is propriety that whenever there is an increase in salary, it carries consequential adjustment for the retirees,” he said.
The pensioners also recalled previous disparities in the pensions of retired military personnel and said similar problems had prompted protests that eventually resulted in a presidential approval in November 2017 for the harmonization of pensions for retirees of equal ranks and years of service.
They expressed concern that the failure to implement consequential adjustments could reverse the gains made through the earlier harmonization.
The protesters said the current agitation was therefore aimed at preventing a fresh disparity and ensuring that retirees benefit from salary reviews granted to their serving counterparts.
They also accused the authorities of excluding pensioners from the financial computation for implementing the latest pay increase.
The pensioners urged the federal government to address the issue urgently and ensure that consequential adjustments are reflected in their pensions.
They stressed that the protest was peaceful and was not intended to obstruct access to government offices or public roads.
“We demand our constitutional and legal right to consequential adjustment/increase of our pension to align with recent military pay increases. It’s our pension, right, not a favor,” the pensioners said.