Military Veterans To Protest Unpaid Palliatives, Pensions Arrears
By Abdul Lauya
Military Pensioners under the aupices of Coalition of Concerned Veterans (CCV), plans to protest failure of government to pay it’s members 3-month arrears of Palliatives announced in October 2023.
The protest expected to commence on Thursday, May 8, 2025 is to also demand for immediate payment of two months arrears of 20/28% pension increment and N32,000 minimum wage flat rate for January and February 2025.
Organisers of the protest say, the protest will hold simultaneously at the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs for the unpaid three months Palliatives, and Federal Ministry of Finance for the two months minimum wage arrears.
Arrangements have been concluded for the arrival and accommodation of veteran contingents from neighboring Nasarawa, Benue, Kogi and Kaduna States, in what the organisers described as mother of all protests.
in a document sighted by Eye Reporters in Abuja, organisers of the protest who prefered anonymity said “Accomodation, and Assembly area, date & time with some relevant information have already been provided in our new Veterans Welfare Struggle MV1000 Whatsapp Platform”.
Recall that Military Pensioners staged two peaceful protests between December 2024 and January 2025 to demand payments of the above arrears.
While 12 months arrears (January- December 2024) of 20/28% Pensions increase, and 5 months (August – December, 2024) of N32,000 minimum wage flat rate were paid in two tranches, three months Palliatives arrears of N25,000, amounting to N75,000 has not been paid.
Security analysts question why Nigerian government treats it’s veterans with disdain, having spent their youthful years defending the territorial integrity of the country.
The irony is that every January 15, government pay lip service by organizing colourful events to mark Armed Forces Remembrance and Celebration Day, while the living veterans live and die in penury and neglect.
