Military replaces pension board chairman after faceoff with retired officers

The Nigerian military has removed the Chairman of the Military Pensions Board, Air Vice Marshal Mikail Abdulraheem, days after a heated confrontation between the board’s management and protesting retired military officers over pension payments and entitlements.

Abdulraheem is expected to hand over to a successor on Wednesday, according to findings by Daily Trust.

Sources familiar with the development said the confrontation, which escalated during a meeting last week, embarrassed the military high command and the Presidency.

The disagreement erupted on Tuesday last week when retired officers shut the main gate of the board’s headquarters in protest against what they described as incorrect computation of their pensions and other entitlements.

The protesters, led by retired Lieutenant-Colonel Innocent Azubuike, arrived at the headquarters around 8:30 a.m. and called on President Bola Tinubu, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, to intervene.

They accused the board of creating unnecessary disparities in pension structures and payments, insisting that their grievances required urgent attention.

A meeting between the retirees and the board’s management subsequently ended in a deadlock after a heated exchange, with both sides reportedly failing to reach a compromise in the days that followed.

A senior military officer, who spoke to Daily Trust on condition of anonymity, said the protest had embarrassed the Presidency and the military leadership.

“That last week protest by the veterans really embarrassed the Presidency and the military. I think that is the reason the Chairman is being asked to step aside,” the source said.

The source added that the development had also embarrassed the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), and the Chief of Defence Staff.

The board’s spokesperson, Squadron Leader Aliyu Mohammed, could not be reached for official comments on the circumstances surrounding Abdulraheem’s removal as of the time of filing the report.

The military has yet to publicly announce the reasons for the chairman’s replacement or provide details of his successor.