Security Beefed Up As Retired Soldiers Protest Pension In Abuja

A heavy presence of security personnel has been observed at the Ministry of Defense headquarters in Abuja, reportedly due to a planned massive protest by retired military officers over the non-implementation of consequential adjustments to their pensions.

Naija News understands that the deployment includes operatives from the Nigerian military, the Police, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO), and others.

It is recalled that President Bola Tinubu recently approved a new salary scale for serving military officers with a view to bolstering their performance across all theatres of operation in the country.

The retired military personnel, however, have argued that the increase should not have excluded them after serving the nation faithfully for over 35 years.

According to Daily Trust, journalists who visited the Ministry of Defense Headquarters on Wednesday morning, August 19, noticed at least three Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs) belonging to the military.

Also, more than 18 vehicles from various security agencies, including the police, Army, Immigration, VIO, NSCDC, and FRSC, were observed stationed at both ends of the roads and at other key locations surrounding the protest area.

Armed soldiers were seen patrolling the venue as security forces took up strategic positions along the roads leading to the ministry, a situation that has already resulted in traffic congestion in the vicinity.

Naija News reports that, although the planned protest had not yet begun as of the time of filing this report, the retired military officers insisted that the protest would go ahead as planned, saying “no going back”.

Addressing journalists, a retired Master Warrant Officer who pleaded anonymity said the Minister was supposed to meet them to sort out the issue, but the people around him prevented him from doing so.

“Gen. Christopher Musa is a kind man. He is always willing to see to the welfare of both the serving and retired personnel but those around him don’t want him to succeed.

“This protest would go as planned to draw the attention of the world that we also deserve to be treated with fairness, not with impunity. We also deserve what was given to the serving personnel,” he told reporters at the protest venue.

He maintained that the retirees are protesting the authorities’ alleged failure to implement corresponding adjustments to their pensions following salary increases approved for serving military personnel.

Another protester, Innocent Azubike, a retired Colonel, said the protest was aimed at demanding what he described as the constitutional pension rights of military retirees.

Azubike said President Tinubu approved a salary increase for military personnel in November 2025, which, according to him, should have resulted in a corresponding adjustment of pensions for retired personnel.

He, however, alleged that the adjustment had yet to be implemented despite repeated acknowledgments by military authorities of the President’s approval.

Azubike said, “We have a protest on Wednesday at the Ministry of Defense to demand our constitutional pension rights.

“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.

“It was in the news throughout November, and the high military authorities repeatedly thanked the President for the gesture.

“But suddenly, in July and August, it was not implemented, and they started changing their stories, as if it should be forgotten.”