Abuja: Discontent and desperation echoed through the streets of Abuja on Monday as hundreds of retired soldiers—voluntarily discharged in early 2023—barricaded the Federal Ministry of Finance, demanding immediate settlement of outstanding entitlements and Security Debarment Allowance (SDA).
Corporal Eze Moses, retired, said they were fighting for their entitlements.
“We served the army for years, and our entitlements have not been paid. We don’t want to be tempted to commit a crime.
“If almost 1,000 of us should go and carry arms, I think the country will turn to slavery, and we don’t want that, we want to beg for our entitlements to be paid,” Moses said.
Staff-Sergeant Simeon David said they had been short-paid for some time now.
Instead of calculating it well with the new rate, they used the old rate.
“They have been promising to pay, and we have been waiting patiently to see what they are going to do. Up till now, we have not heard from them, so we have to come and see by ourselves,” he said.
Corporal Umar Umar said that the Military Pensions Board informed them they were not entitled to the new national minimum wage adjustments, citing their disengagement date of July 1, 2024, as the reason.
“This is unacceptable. We gave our best years to the nation.
“Many of us are suffering while the system continues to deny us what is rightfully ours; this is a deliberate neglect,” Umar said.
Reacting to the demands of the soldiers, the Permanent Secretary, Special Duties, assured them that the government would look into their needs.
