A coalition of retired military officers, known as the Coalition of Concerned Veterans (CCV), took to the streets of Abuja on Wednesday to demand the payment of their outstanding pensions and other entitlements. The demonstration, held at the Federal Ministry of Finance within the Federal Secretariat, brought activities in the area to a halt as the protesters aired their grievances with music and banners bearing various messages.
The ex-servicemen listed several unmet demands, including the non-payment of a promised 28% increment since January, the failure to deliver a three-month palliative, and the addition of a N32,000 flat rate to their benefits since July. They also highlighted other pressing issues, such as the bulk payment of SDA arrears using a new template irrespective of the year of retirement, the review and passage of the VFN bill to align with global standards, and several other concerns.
During the protest, one of the participants urged President Bola Tinubu to take immediate action by directing the military authorities to settle their unpaid pensions. The ex-serviceman expressed hope that the president’s intervention would bring an end to their prolonged struggle.
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