Garba Mohammed
A group of discharged Nigerian soldiers on Thursday resumed protests in Abuja, demanding the payment of their entitlements.
The ex-soldiers had earlier suspended their protest on August 4 after meeting with officials of the Ministries of Defence and Finance, who assured them that their outstanding entitlements would be settled by August 10.
However, when the promises were not fulfilled, the ex-servicemen regrouped and converged on the Ministry of Finance headquarters in the nation’s capital. They accused the authorities of neglect and failure to honour their commitments.
One of the protesters, popularly known as Mama G, said:
“We are here because the promises made to us were never fulfilled. We had no choice but to return to the streets. This time around, the protest will be massive.”
This is not the first time the group has taken to the streets. Over the years, retired soldiers have staged demonstrations in Abuja and other cities, lamenting what they describe as unfair treatment and neglect.
As of press time, the Ministry of Defence, Defence Headquarters, and Military Pension Board had not issued an official response.