Military retirees stormed the Ministry of Defence at Area 10, Garki, Abuja, on Wednesday, demanding the payment of their over one year arrears and also asked to be included in the recent salary raise approved by President Bola Tinubu.

The Guardian reports that following the protest by the pensioners, all roads leading to the Ministry, as well as the United States of America Embassy, located opposite the ministry were closed to vehicular traffic.

As early as 6 a.m., armed troops and light Armoured Personnel Carrier vehicles were deployed in and around the ministry. They were complemented by operatives of the Nigerian Police and other para-military personnel.

And as the military retirees marched from behind the ministry with placards towards the front of the building, armed soldiers led by a Major stopped them a few metres away from the entrance to the ministry. The Major appealed to them not come close to the ministry’s gate, assuring that officials would come to address them.

Speaking on behalf of the retirees, Lt.-Col. Innocent Azubike (rtd), demanded the payment of arrears of salary increase President Tinubu approved for military since November 2025.

“First of all, since last year, November 2025, Mr President approved a new salary increase for the military and other paramilitary. It’s been in the news all over.The military high command at every given location keeps thanking the president for the salary increase. This is August 2026, they have not implemented (arrears for pensioners) it as if it’s a scam,” he said.

According to him, a Sergeant who retired recently could be receiving pension higher than that of a Captain who retired 10 years back. And they all serve the same military.

“The consequential adjustment that is increased in the pension is in the Armed Forces Act. But some fellow sit in high offices, they don’t live on their salary. Some ask, what do pensioners do that they need to increase their pay? So, we find it painful. We all go to the same market.

“What it means is that as a retired Lieutenant Colonel, I retired many years ago. My pension could be the equivalent of a lieutenant who retired just recently. Because they don’t want to do the adjustment that is constitutional and legal right. This is the issue,” Azubike said.

He accused the Ministry of Defence of failure to accommodate military retirees in the new salary raise for members of the Armed Forces approved by the President, which is due to commence from September 1.

“If they want to implement it (new pay raise) by law, constitution, and the Armed Forces Act, there should be consequential adjustment that is increased in the pay of pensioners.

“But they computed the fund requirement to implement the recently announced one, and they excluded pensioners. So if you compute the fund requirement for implementing the most recent increase, and you exclude pensioners, you are depriving them of their constitutional and legal right as enshrined in the constitution and the Armed Forces Act.

“The implication of that is, those who retired earlier, their pension will be very tiny compared with more recent retirees. And that is why I gave an example that you could see a captain who retires 15 years ago, his pension will be the equivalent of a sergeant who retires this year.

“We all serve the same military. It’s for that that the constitution provides that whenever there is increase in salary, it carries consequential adjustment for the retirees.They know it. None of them is denying the legal or constitutional provision,” the pensioner said.

Azubike called on the ministry to do needful as it has the record of retirees. “The Ministry of Defense knows us. Our details are with them,” he said.

“The President, we know is a man that handles thousands of issues on a regular basis. He may not always get all fact on it. And that is why we take our protest to the Ministry of Defence.”