Security has been heightened at the headquarters of the Ministry of Defence in Abuja, as retired military personnel prepare to protest the non-implementation of consequential adjustments to their pensions.
Scores of security personnel from the Nigerian military, Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Immigration Service, Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO), and other agencies have been deployed to the ministry ahead of the planned demonstration.
The heavy security presence, it was gathered, was necessitated by the planned large-scale protest by the retired military officers, who are demanding the implementation of consequential adjustments to their pensions.
According to media reports, President Bola Tinubu recently approved a new salary structure for serving military personnel, with the aim of improving their effectiveness across various theatres of operation in the country.
The increase, which the retired officers argued should also benefit them after serving the country diligently for 35 years or more, covers personnel across different ranks of the military.
When the Ministry of Defence Headquarters was visited on Wednesday morning, at least three military Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) were observed within the area.
More than 18 vehicles belonging to the police, Army, Immigration, VIO, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and other security agencies were also stationed at both ends of the roads and other strategic points around the protest venue.
Armed soldiers were observed moving around the location, while security personnel occupied strategic positions on roads leading to the ministry, a situation that had already resulted in traffic congestion around the area.
Although the protest had yet to commence as of about 9:10am when this report was filed, the retired military officers maintained that they would proceed with the action, insisting there was “no going back”.
A retired Master Warrant Officer, who asked not to be identified, said the Minister was expected to meet with the retirees to resolve the matter but alleged that people around him prevented the meeting from taking place.
“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 said.
He said the retirees were protesting what they described as the authorities’ failure to effect consequential pension adjustments following salary increases granted to serving military personnel.
One of the leaders of the retirees, Innocent Azubike, a retired Colonel, had explained that the demonstration was intended to demand what he described as the constitutional pension entitlements of retired military personnel.
Azubike said President Bola Tinubu approved an increase in military salaries in November 2025, which, according to him, ought to have triggered a corresponding adjustment in the pensions of retired personnel.
He alleged, however, that the adjustment had still not been implemented despite several acknowledgements from military authorities concerning the President’s approval.
Azubike said, “We have a protest on Wednesday at the Ministry of Defence 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 that 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.”
