Veterans Protest in Abuja Over Pension Disparities

On October 13, military veterans protested in Abuja by sealing off the entrance to the Military Pensions Board (MPB) office in Dutse Alhaji. They expressed dissatisfaction with the MPB's formula for calculating pension adjustments for veterans, arguing it results in unequal pension outcomes for retirees of the same rank who served the same duration but retired at different times.

For instance, a soldier retiring in October 2025 with a monthly salary of N100,000 would receive a total pension of N154,800, while another retiring in October 2026 with a salary of N180,000 would receive N162,000. This creates a disparity of N7,200 monthly between two equally ranked retirees.

The veterans are calling for a forensic audit of the MPB and an end to policies that penalize retirees based on their retirement dates. They assert that the MPB's approach contradicts constitutional provisions and relevant circulars from the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.

This protest follows a similar demonstration in September, where retirees demanded higher pensions.