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Defence HQ orders protesting retired soldiers to vacate Ministry of Finance
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The Defence Headquarters has ordered protesting retired soldiers at the Federal Ministry of Finance Headquarters in Abuja to vacate the premises.
Retired soldiers who voluntarily exited the Nigerian Army in 2024, returned to streets after last month’s protest over unpaid benefits.
The protesters lamented what they described as the government’s failure to pay their entitlements, saying they had been neglected for too long.
But reacting to their demonstration, the Director, Defence Media Operations, Markus Kanye, said the aggrieved former soldiers have already been educated.
He explained that the agitation stemmed from the introduction of two separate salary charts for military personnel in 2024, following the implementation of the new minimum wage.
According to him, a pre-minimum wage chart” was in effect between January 1 and July 28, 2024, while the “minimum wage chart” took effect from July 29, 2024, and remains applicable.
The senior military officer said, “The actions of these protesting soldiers are seriously affecting the smooth conduct of activities at the Ministry of Finance.
“While the Defence Headquarters acknowledges the right to legitimate protest, the veterans are strongly advised to tread with caution and vacate the premises of the Federal Ministry of Finance to allow government functions to continue seamlessly.
“This is the message we have been directed to pass on, so that through your medium, our veterans and the Nigerian public can be properly informed.
“Let me reaffirm that the Armed Forces of Nigeria remain fully committed to their constitutional mandate of defending the territorial integrity of our great nation, supporting civil authorities in maintaining internal security, and ensuring peace and stability across all regions,” Kangye added.
Kanye noted that gratuity and security debarment allowance for retired personnel are calculated based on the salary chart in effect on the date of retirement.
“Before the implementation of the new minimum wage, there was a chart on which gratuity and security debarment allowance for soldiers was calculated, and later, the minimum wage chart. Essentially, there were two charts in 2024.
“The first, known as the pre-minimum wage chart, was effective from January 1, 2024, to July 28, 2024. I repeat: January 1, 2024, to July 28, 2024. This was the chart used to calculate the emoluments of retired soldiers and other military personnel.
“The second was the minimum wage chart, which took effect from July 29, 2024, and remains applicable to date. Now, the calculation of gratuity and security debarment allowance for military personnel is based on the salary chart in effect on the date of retirement.
“If a soldier retires today, his entitlements will be calculated using the current chart. If another chart is introduced tomorrow, the same soldier’s entitlements will not be recalculated based on the new chart.
“Unfortunately, the soldiers who retired between January 1 and July 28, 2024, before the implementation of the new minimum wage, want their gratuity and allowances calculated based on the new chart. This cannot be done because the policy only came into effect on July 29.
“Those who fall within the pre-minimum wage chart category are the soldiers who have continued to protest and block access to the Federal Ministry of Finance, despite repeated explanations from the Defence Headquarters,” he said.
Kanye maintained that the veterans had been adequately educated on the matter but had continued to stage protests and block access to the Ministry of Finance.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, has slashed its fuel pump price for the second time within four days.
A market survey on Saturday by DAILY POST showed that NNPCL retail outlets around Airport Junction and Wuse Zone 6 (Berger) in Abuja have reduced their petrol price to N1210 per litre, down from N1260.
This means that the state-owned oil firm slashed the petrol price by N50 per litre.
This comes barely two days after Dangote Refinery reduced its petrol gantry price by N50 to N1,125 per litre.
Recall that four days ago, NNPCL had adjusted its fuel price pump by N75 per litre to N1260.
With the latest drop by NNPCL retail outlets, petrol prices stand between N1210 per litre and N1305 per litre in Abuja and its environs.
The reduction in domestic fuel comes amid falling crude oil prices, which stand at $69 per barrel and $71 per barrel for West Texas Intermediate and Brent crude, respectively, following the easing of the conflict in the Middle East.
Recall that President Bola Tinubu has kept mum amid the clamour by Nigerians for a commensurate drop in domestic fuel pump prices due to the significant reduction in crude oil prices.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has said it is yet to receive the Certified True Copy, CTC, of the Federal High Court judgment that set aside an earlier order directing it to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, as a political party.
INEC revealed this in a statement issued on Saturday by its Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the Chairman, Adedayo Oketola.
According to the commission, although it is aware of media reports on the judgment delivered by the Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja on June 26, it cannot comment on the ruling until it obtains and reviews the certified copy.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, is aware of reports circulating in the media regarding the judgment delivered on Friday, June 26, 2026, by the Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, which set aside an earlier order concerning the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress.
“However, as of this moment, the Commission has not yet received the Certified True Copy, CTC, of the court’s order,” the statement said.
INEC stated that its legal department would study the judgment upon receipt of the CTC before advising the commission on the next course of action.
“Once the Commission’s legal department receives and thoroughly studies the CTC of the judgment, INEC will take an informed, lawful decision in line with the court’s directives.
“Until then, we cannot comment on the specifics of the ruling, and the public is urged to await the Commission’s formal position on the matter,” Oketola added.
Justice Isah Dashen of the Federal High Court in Lokoja had on Friday set aside the court’s December 10, 2025, judgment directing INEC to register the NDC as a political party.
The court held that the rights of the Peace Movement Party were affected by the earlier judgment because it was not joined in the suit despite claiming ownership of the logo relied upon in securing the registration order.
Justice Dashen consequently ordered that all parties be restored to the positions they occupied before the December 2025 judgment and directed that the substantive suit be heard afresh with all necessary parties joined.
The NDC has rejected the ruling and announced plans to appeal the decision. Its National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas, maintained that the party had not been deregistered and argued that the trial court lacked jurisdiction to revisit a matter on which it had already delivered a final judgment.
The ruling has also attracted reactions from opposition figures, including the NDC’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, the party’s National Leader, Senator Henry Dickson, and other stakeholders, who described the decision as a threat to Nigeria’s multiparty democracy and vowed to challenge it through all available legal channels.
INEC, however, maintained that it would reserve its position on the judgment until it receives and reviews the Certified True Copy.
A joint police operation rescued five victims abducted near Ogbere Forest in Ogun state on Wednesday.
They were rescued within 25 hours by the Lagos and Ogun Police Commands, which were part of a joint operation codenamed KOSAYE, meaning “No Space” in Yoruba.
The woman was among the victims who were shot in the incident. Her daughter and sister were among those rescued by the police on Thursday.
NNPC slashes petrol price twice within four days
Lokoja Court order: INEC speaks on NDC, says it’s yet to receive CTC
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