Pensioners give FG November 24 deadline, threaten to protest naked

The Coalition of Federal Pensioners of Nigeria has threatened a nationwide naked protest on November 24 if the government fails to pay their outstanding pension increment arrears and palliative allowances.

The coalition’s National Chairman, Mukaila Ogunbote, announced this during a news conference on Tuesday in Lagos.

Ogunbote, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, NIPOST Chapter, said the protest would hold if the Federal Government failed to fulfil its promise of paying the N32,000 approved pension increment arrears and the N25,000 palliative allowance approved since 2023.

He said pensioners in the diaspora had identified with retirees in Nigeria and would join the protest from their respective countries, making it not just a nationwide but a worldwide protest.

He appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene and direct the Minister of Finance and the Accountant-General of the Federation to release the funds.

According to him, many pensioners have died and many more are dying due to hardship, as they are unable to feed well or access proper medical treatment when ill.

“We were told that our arrears would be paid within two weeks of the approval, yet nothing has been done.