The Coalition of Federal Pensioners of Nigeria has threatened a nationwide naked protest on October 6 if the Federal Government does not implement pension increments and release palliatives.
Speaking at a press conference in Lagos on Tuesday, National Chairman Mukaila Ogunbote, who also leads the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NIPOST Chapter), said pensioners had given the government until the end of September to settle arrears, pay approved increments, and disburse palliatives.
Ogunbote warned that failure to act would force pensioners to protest unclad to symbolically expose government neglect and draw attention to their plight.
He recalled that in October 2023, President Bola Tinubu approved N35,000 for workers and N25,000 for pensioners as palliatives. Workers received their payment within one month, but pensioners are still waiting nearly a year later.
He noted that workers have since received additional palliatives for ten months while pensioners’ request for six months’ worth remains unresolved. Ogunbote further revealed that Tinubu approved a pension increase of N13,000, yet neither the Ministry of Finance nor the Accountant-General has implemented it.
“When we enquired, we were told our N32,000 increment was omitted from both the 2024 and 2025 budgets. This is injustice,” he said.
Other retirees backed Ogunbote’s position. Former Federal Ministry of Information staffer Fashola Oluwo demanded accountability from officials who failed to carry out the President’s directive. Dupe Ogunniyi of FRCN appealed to the First Lady to intervene, stressing that many pensioners support unemployed children and rely solely on their pensions.
Former Lagos NUP Chairman Adebola Akinduture said hunger was at the heart of their grievances. “We are hungry. Food is medicine, yet without it, medicine is meaningless. Pensioners are starving,” he said.
Akinduture vowed that pensioners would take to the streets naked on October 6 if the government fails to meet their demands.
