Military retirees on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, blocked the entrance to the Military Pensions Board office in Dutse Alhaji, Abuja, protesting against the formula adopted for adjusting their pensions.
The veterans barricaded the entrance with canopies and chairs, while armed soldiers prevented them from entering the premises, according to a report by Punch.
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The protest comes weeks after military retirees staged a demonstration at the Ministry of Defence in September, demanding improved pension payments following salary adjustments for serving military personnel.
Defence Minister Christopher Musa had reportedly assured the retirees that their pension increase would be implemented in October.
However, the latest demonstration highlights continuing dissatisfaction among veterans over how the adjustments are being calculated and implemented.
Speaking in an interview with Punch on Monday, the Coordinator of the Veterans Association of Nigeria, Lieutenant Colonel Innocent Azubike, said the planned protest was prompted by growing concerns among retirees.
Azubike accused the Military Pensions Board of adopting a formula that allegedly short-changed some veterans in the calculation of their pension adjustments.
According to him, the retirees believe the formula has failed to adequately reflect the salary increases granted to serving military personnel.
Their concerns centre on the implementation of consequential adjustments, which they expect to translate into corresponding improvements in their pension payments.
The veterans are seeking a review of the process to ensure that the adjustments are properly reflected in their entitlements.
The latest action follows the retirees’ September protest at the Ministry of Defence, where they called for an increase in their pensions after serving military personnel received salary adjustments.
The Defence Minister’s reported assurance that the pension increase would take effect in October had raised expectations among the veterans.
However, disagreement over the calculation method appears to have sustained tensions between the retirees and the relevant authorities.
The blockade at the Military Pensions Board office in Abuja underscores the unresolved dispute over the implementation of the promised adjustments.
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Further details on the protest and any response from the Military Pensions Board were not available in the report at the time of publication.
Ibrahim Onipede is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, public affairs, and human-interest stories.
