The Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) on Thursday said retired soldiers who have been protesting in Abuja over their pensions are wrong and are not owed by the federal government.
Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye told journalists in Defence Headquarters Abuja that the discharged soldiers were demanding that they be paid on the basis of regulations that were not meant for their set but the set set that retired before them.
On Monday AUgust 4, 2025, a group of protesting retired soldiers shut down the Federal Ministry of Finance, Abuja over alleged non-payment of their gratuity, Security Debarment Allowance (SDA), and other entitlements.
The protest, which began at about 7 a.m., left the Finance Ministry workers stranded for hours, as they were unable to access their offices as the aggrieved ex-servicemen, comprising men and women, demanded the immediate release of their outstanding allowances.
The angry protesters carried placards with messages such as: “We are 1st and 2nd Quarter Retirees of NA 2003. We are living heroes and deserve to be recognized and treated right—not celebrated as fallen heroes when we are no more,” and “We the voluntary discharged soldiers of 2024 demand full payment of our benefits, including shortfalls in gratuity, SDA, parking allowance and four months’ salary cuts.”
But General Kangye however appealed to the ex-soldiers to stop their protests and vacate the government premises they have been barricading.
According to him: “It would be recalled that the Federal Government of Nigeria implemented the new minimum wage for all Federal Government Workers in July 2024. Before the implementation of the minimum wage, there was a chart based on which gratuity and Security Debarment Allowance (SDA) was calculated, then, the minimum wage chart.
The 2 charts are:
a. Pre-Minimum Wage Chart – Effective 1 Jan – 28 July 2024.
b. Minimum Wage Chart – Effective 29 July 2024 to date
“Calculation of Gratuity and SDA. Gratuity and SDA for military personnel is calculated based on salary chart on the effective date of retirement.
“Unfortunately, the Soldiers who retired between 1 January 2024 – 28 July 2024, before the implementation of the new minimum wage wanted their gratuity and SDA to be calculated based on the new minimum wage chart. This cannot be done because the policy of the new minimum wage came into effect on 29 July 2024.
“Thus, Soldiers who fall within the category of Pre-Minimum Wage Chart, are those who continually protest and construct barricades at the Federal Ministry of Finance, despite being educated on the 2 charts Defence Headquarters.
“It is necessary to reiterate that government policies have effective date of implementation and this case cannot be an exception.
“Their action is seriously affecting the smooth conduct of activities at the Ministry of Finance. The Defence Headquarters acknowledges freedom of legitimate protest, but the Veterans are strongly advised to trade with caution and vacate the premises of the Federal Ministry of Finance in order to pave way for normal government functions to be seamlessly conducted.”