Retired members of the Nigerian Armed Forces have announced plans to stage protests in Abuja and state capitals across the country over the non-payment of their entitlements.
The protests will take place in August.
In a statement released on Saturday, the ex-combatants, under the auspices of Military Veteran Affairs, accused the country’s military authorities of insensitivity.
They said they have not been paid three main outstanding entitlements, including the balance of 2017/2018 arrears.
They are also demanding minimum wage consequential adjustment as well as its arrears dating from April 2019.
The veterans are equally demanding information on the modality for the payment of Security Debarment Allowance.
In the same vein, they are insisting on a health insurance scheme to cover treatment of service-related injuries and disabilities.
Spokesman of the group, Abiodun Herberts, noted that the Director of Veterans Affairs in the Nigerian Army had opposed the planned protests.
But Herbert said the retired soldiers are going ahead to mobilise for the mass action.
He said, “We were told by the Director of Veterans Affairs Department of three separate committees that had been set up to look into various areas of veterans welfare even before our letter to the HMOD got to him, stressing that our planned action come the first week of August may stall efforts to get positive results arising from the welfare plans by the current administration.
“So, I, on behalf of our team asked the General: “How could they set up three committees to better our welfare, yet we are not aware of it and we are also not represented in those three committees?”
