Abuja, Nigeria | September 4, 2025
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has directed retired soldiers staging protests at the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja to vacate the premises, warning that their continued presence is disrupting government operations.
Speaking during a press briefing with journalists in Abuja on Thursday, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Markus Kangye, said the agitation by the retirees stemmed from the introduction of two separate salary charts for military personnel in 2024, following the implementation of the new minimum wage.
He explained that a “pre-minimum wage chart” applied between January 1 and July 28, 2024, while the “minimum wage chart” came into effect from July 29, 2024, and remains applicable.
According to Kangye, gratuity and Security Debarment Allowances for military personnel are calculated based on the salary chart valid at the time of retirement. He stressed that those who retired before July 29, 2024, are not eligible for recalculations under the new chart.
The protesting retirees, however, are demanding that their benefits be reviewed in line with the new wage structure—a request the DHQ maintains “lacks merit.”
While acknowledging the right of the retired soldiers to protest, Kangye insisted that the blockade of the ministry has severely hindered government business and must come to an end.