Military veterans under the umbrella of the Retired Members of Nigerian Armed Forces and the Coalition of Concerned Military Veterans staged the third phase of their protests over the non-payment of their Security Debarment Allowance, among others, at the Ministry of Defence, in Abuja on Monday.
The protesters, as a result, blocked access to the Ministry of Defence located at Ship House on Olusegun Obasanjo Way in the country’s capital city.
In January this year, the retired military men had picketed the ministries of finance, defence, and the National Assembly earlier on, in pursuit of the same demand.
Ambassador Roy Okhidievbie, the National Secretary, REMENAF, who spoke to our correspondent during Monday’s protest, noted that the demonstration was to demand the payment of their security debarment allowance owed them by the Federal Government, adding that Major General Bashir Magashi (retd.) the Minister of Defence, had refused to disburse the allowances despite approval by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari’s (retd.) regime.
Okhidievbie said,
“We have had meetings with the Defence Minister, Magashi, but he appears to be headstrong, heartless, and unperturbed concerning the grievances of retired military officers, as he never paid nor showed any interest or concern to pay these allowances, especially the Security Debarment Allowance.
“Interestingly, President Buhari-led regime has approved the payment of this allowance, but Magashi have refused to make disbursements.”
