The Federal Government has officially begun the disbursement of pensions and outstanding entitlements to retired military personnel, including payment of three months’ arrears.
This development was confirmed by the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, in a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday. The announcement was made public by Henshaw Ogubike, Director of Information and Public Relations for the Ministry of Defence.
This move comes shortly after retired military personnel staged a protest at the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja over unpaid entitlements. The retirees had voiced concerns about the government’s failure to implement the promised 20% to 28% salary increment from January to November 2024.
Their demands also included payment of palliatives covering October 2023 to November 2024, an additional N32,000 to their pensions, a lump-sum settlement of the Security Debarment Allowance, and reimbursement of pension deductions from the salaries of medically retired soldiers.
Minister Matawalle reassured the public that the payment process has started, with many retirees already receiving alerts for the arrears. He credited President Bola Tinubu for releasing the funds and praised his dedication to improving the welfare of military personnel, both retired and serving.
He noted that the initiative reflects the President’s commitment to enhancing the living standards of military veterans and tackling insecurity across the nation. Matawalle also acknowledged the role of Wale Edun, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, for his efforts in ensuring the payments were actualized.
The Minister urged the military to stay committed to their duties, emphasizing the government’s determination to boost morale and provide necessary support for the fight against insecurity. “In spite of initial setbacks, be rest assured that Mr President will do everything within his power to uplift our military forces as they confront the challenges of insecurity,” Matawalle said.