Former federal lawmaker Senator Shehu Sani has voiced concerns over the recent protest by retired military personnel demanding their unpaid pensions and other entitlements.
Sani noted that the situation sends a troubling message to active-duty service members who are risking their lives to ensure the nation’s security and peace.
The protest, which took place on Wednesday in Abuja, saw retired military personnel demonstrating at the Federal Ministry of Finance within the Federal Secretariat. Carrying banners with various inscriptions and accompanied by music, the ex-servicemen highlighted issues such as the non-payment of a 28% pension increment since January, a three-month palliative, and a N32,000 flat-rate increase promised since July.
Reacting to the protest, Sani expressed dismay on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, lamenting the plight of those who served the nation. He remarked, “The protest by ex-servicemen in Abuja over unpaid pensions sends a bad signal to those in active service and on the frontlines sacrificing their lives for the security and peace of our country. How can people who risked their lives for us now have to raise placards for their pensions?”