Some retired soldiers on Monday, August 4, blocked the entrance of the Ministry of Finance in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city.
The retired servicemen under the aegis of the Voluntary Discharged Soldiers 1st and 2nd quarters Retirees of the Nigerian Army were at the gate of the ministry demanding the payment of their statutory gratuities and entitlements.
The aggrieved retired soldiers while expressing their grievances also prevented the staff of the ministry from gaining access to the building.
At the protest ground, a serving Air Vice Marshal who arrived at the scene to appeal to the protesters was ignored.
The protesting retired soldier stated that they were not interested in any form of dialogue until their demands were met.
One of the retired soldiers, Sergeant Augustine Agommo accused the Federal Government of treating them with disdain.
Agommo also fingered the Military Pensions Board as a contributing party in their ordeal.
“We are living heroes and deserve to be recognised and treated right, not celebrated as fallen heroes when we are no more.
“We gave our best years to the nation. Many of us are suffering with our families while the system continues to deny us what is rightfully ours,” Agommo stated.