Pensioners, military board faceoff

T****he meeting between the management of the Military Pension Board (MPB) and the retired officers of the Nigerian Armed Forces to resolve the disagreement on the monthly pension ended in a stalemate yesterday as the veterans insisted that their newly approved monthly pay should be re-calculated.

The deadlocked meeting came after the retired officers had shut down the main entrance of the board’s headquarters located in Dutse-Alhaji/Kubwa area of Abuja in protest over what they described as the board’s ‘miscalculation’ of their new monthly take-home and other entitlements.

The protesters, led by one Innocent Azubuike, a retired Lieutenant-Colonel, arrived in their numbers as early as 8:30am, saying their action became imperative after they observed that the Board was trying to create unnecessary disparities in the pension structures and payments.

Daily Trust reports that the military veterans were on Friday engaged by the Board chaired by Mikail Abdulraheem, an Air Vice Marshal, to clarify issues surrounding the implementation of the newly approved pension rates.

The new rates came into existence after the retired military officers carried out a series of protests to press home their demands over what they called the stagnant nature of their monthly pay amid rising cost of living occasioned by inflation in the country.

The spokesman of the MPB, Aliyu Mohammed, a Squadron Leader, had told journalists via a statement that the engagement provided an opportunity for the board to explain the implementation process.

Mohammed noted that the board also addressed concerns raised by the representatives during the meeting, saying the gathering promoted a shared understanding of the new pension rates.

“During the meeting, the representatives expressed their understanding of the explanations provided by the board and appreciated the opportunity to engage directly with them.

“The discussions also reinforced the importance of continued dialogue, mutual understanding and the use of established communication channels to address pension-related concerns,” Mohammed said.

Daily Trust reports that there was back and forth between the management of the board and the protesters’ representatives on Tuesday when the two parties met at a roundtable to resolve the issues.

After several hours of dialogue, both parties stuck to their guns as the MPB urged them to show understanding. But the retired officers said they would not back down and might continue the protest if their demands are not met.

Military retirees, yesterday, blocked entrance to the Military Pensions Board office in Dutse Alhaji, Abuja, over unpaid entitlements.

The issues

Prior to the Tuesday protest, checks by our correspondent showed that the main issue borders on consequential adjustment implementation of retired military officers’ pensions.

The protesting veterans argued that there were two germane issues that must be resolved immediately, which include re-computation of their monthly pay in line with retirees’ equal ranks and number of years in the service.

They are also demanding a forensic audit of the MPB to ascertain what was released and what was actually utilised in the payment of the consequential adjustment.

In August, the protesters laid siege to the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Defence in Abuja for days to demand immediate implementation of consequential adjustments to their pensions.

The protesters, who retired on the rank of Colonel and below, demanded the inclusion of retired personnel in the consequential adjustment arising from recent salary increases for serving military personnel.

President Bola Tinubu had in August approved a new salary scale for military men and officers, effective from September 2026, to bolster their performance across all theatres of operations in the country.

The retired military officers said they should benefit from the increment, having served the country for 35 years.

During the August protest, armed police officers and soldiers were drawn from the Guards Brigade, leading to a confrontation between the protesters and the security operatives attached to the ministry.

The operatives prevented protesting retired military personnel from converging on the entrance of the ministry. The security operatives were heard threatening to open fire if the protesting officers crossed the line, saying they were acting on orders.

Despite the threat, the protest went on for days before the minister finally brokered a truce.

Similarly, in 2024, scores of retired military personnel stormed the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Finance and shut down the place over non-payment of their entitlements by the government.

The retirees, who arrived the protesting ground as early as 7:30am with sleeping mats, chairs and canopies, accused the federal government of not paying them a 20% to 28% salary increment from January to November 2024.

The fresh protest came less than 12 hours after another group of retired military personnel under the aegis of Ex-Service Men and Family Welfare Association of Nigeria, held a rally to demand payment of pension arrears.

What transpired on protest ground

Speaking to journalists before the meeting with the MPB commenced, Azubuike alleged underpayment of their pensions, accusing the board of using a pension computation formula that allegedly reduced the percentage increases approved for retired personnel.

Azubuike, who is the coordinator of the Veterans Association of Nigeria, demanded an urgent re-calculation of their entitlements in line with approved adjustments to the salaries of serving military personnel.

According to him, the approved adjustments provided for an 80 per cent increase for personnel from the rank of private to staff sergeant, 50 per cent for warrant officers to colonels, and 30 per cent for brigadier generals and higher ranks.

He alleged that the Board failed to apply the approved percentages directly to the pension veterans were already receiving, instead using a calculation method that reduced their entitlements.

“We have gotten presidential approval for the consequential allowance on the percentages allotted to various rank categories. Now, in paying us this consequential adjustment, the Military Pension Board did not pay this very approved percentage”, he said.

He explained that the veterans had earlier approached the Ministry of Defence in August to demand the inclusion of retired personnel in the salary-related adjustments after discovering that they had initially been excluded.

According to him, the ministry acknowledged the omission and subsequently included them in the approved adjustments.

He, however, accused the Military Pensions Board of introducing a calculation method that allegedly undermined the approved increases, despite the fact that the pension rates of retirees had already been determined by their ranks and years of service at retirement.

The protesters argued that the approved percentage should apply to the pension each retiree was receiving before the adjustment, rather than being subjected to another calculation based on the conditions under which the individual retired.

To illustrate his concern, Azubuike cited a retired soldier entitled to an 80 per cent increase, arguing that the board’s alleged approach could leave the pensioner receiving less than the approved adjustment.

He also alleged that the computation method had not been applied uniformly, leaving some veterans with payments below what they believed they were entitled to receive.

The veterans further claimed that some pensioners received only part of their expected adjustments and had to complain before the outstanding amounts were paid.

Azubuike stated that the board could release the remaining arrears within days after receiving complaints, a practice he said raised questions about the consistency and transparency of its payment procedures.

“We are about 100,000 military veterans,” he said, adding that he had records to support the allegations of discrepancies in pension payments.

Another protester, Master Warrant Officer Duru Augustine, said the alleged underpayment had left retired personnel feeling betrayed after years of service to the country.

He maintained that the dispute concerned the implementation of approved pension adjustments, which he said veterans had fought to secure after discovering that retired personnel were initially excluded.

Augustine recalled that the veterans protested on August 19, after which, according to him, the Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, acknowledged their concerns and supported their inclusion in the adjustment.

He said the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission had also provided a chart explaining the calculations, arguing that the board should implement the approved percentages rather than introduce a different method.

“It’s an insult to the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It’s an insult to the capacity of the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, for him (the minister) to go back and do whatever he feels like doing,” he said, referring to the alleged departure from the approved adjustment framework.

Augustine argued that applying the approved percentages to existing pensions should be straightforward.

“For whatever he (Azubuike) is taking every month as his pension, 50 per cent of that thing added to what he’s taking now is his actual pension now. What is the big deal?” he asked.

He also expressed concern about the impact of the dispute on veterans’ health and their ability to meet basic needs, including the cost of medication.

“Many of them are sick. They can’t afford medicine,” he said, describing the hardship among the protesters.

Augustine said he travelled from Owerri, Imo State, overnight to join the protest and draw public attention to the veterans’ complaints.

He appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the defence minister to intervene, insisting that many retired personnel depended entirely on their pensions for survival.

“Some of us are not well. The government should look into our plight and help us,” he said.

Explaining the computations

Pensioners’ calculation: For instance, if a Private had retired in 2025 having served for 35 years on a salary of N100,000, he would have been receiving 90% of his last salary – N90,000 – as monthly pension.

Based on Consequential Adjustment (CA), they argued that the approved increase for his rank category is 80%. This means 80% of his N90,000 pension, which amounts to N72,000 that will then be added to make his new monthly pension N162,000.

If a Private whose current salary is N180,000, following the 80% increment, retires in October 2026, his pension would be calculated as 90% of his last salary (N180,000), which amounts to N162,000 per month.

This brings the pension for both old and new retired privates to par.

MPB calculation: But based on the Military Pension Board (MPB) calculation, the 2025 retired Private can only get 90% of the approved increase.

To such a retiree, an 80% increase means N72,000. But to MPB, it has to be 90% of N72,000, which amounts to N64,800. The MPB says it is N64,800 that will then be added to the retiree’s N90,000 pension to arrive at a new monthly pension of N154,800.

Commenting on the board’s computation, the retirees said such calculation promotes disparity in the pension of retirees of equal ranks and number of years of service.

They said the implication is that both soldiers, who served for 35 years and retired on the same rank, would be earning different pay.

“The one that retired in 2025 is on a N154,800 monthly pension, while the one that retired this year is on a N162,000 pension. This is just for the lowest paid; the disparity increases with higher ranks. This is not the spirit and letter of the Constitution for consequential adjustment to the pension of retirees any time there is an increase in the salary of workers.

“It’s also not the intent of the circular from NSIWC for pension purposes. And that conflated form of computation by MPB becomes more complex in computing for retirees of lesser number of years of service, and provides good room for sharp practices of short-payment,” they added.

We’re transparent – Military Pension Board chair

Speaking after the meeting, the chairman of the Board said the legal framework and salary structure used in computing retirees’ pensions have been transparent following complaints about the consequential adjustment.

Abdulraheem said the board was committed to administering pensions in accordance with the applicable laws and salary structures issued by the NSIWC.

He explained that the commission provided a revised salary structure for pension and gratuity purposes following the salary review for serving military personnel, effective September 1, 2026.

According to him, the structure incorporates the approved adjustments and provides the basis for calculating pension entitlements across ranks and years of service.

He said the board did not independently determine the salary rates but applied the approved structure in line with the relevant pension regulations.

Abdulraheem explained that pension computation followed a graduated formula based on years of service, with entitlements increasing from the prescribed minimum to a maximum of 90 per cent of the applicable final emolument after 35 years of service.

He said applying a common framework was essential to maintaining consistency between existing pensioners and personnel who would retire in the future.

The chairman urged veterans to submit their calculations and supporting pension records so the board can examine differences between the amounts expected and those received.

He said the board was willing to explain its computation and work with the relevant authorities to clarify the issues raised.

“We want everyone to see the applicable documents and understand the computation rather than rely on assumptions,” he said.

Abdulraheem said the NSIWC had also been invited to provide clarification on the revised salary structure and the basis for the figures used in the computation.

He emphasised that individual complaints would be more effectively addressed through the examination of pension records and supporting documents.

The chairman also urged veterans’ organisations to adopt a coordinated approach to engage the board, saying a recognised channel would facilitate communication and help prevent the fragmentation of complaints.