The Chairman of the Board, Air Vice Marshal Mikail Abdulraheem, stated this during an interactive meeting with representatives of military veterans in Abuja, where he explained the legal framework governing pension calculations and urged retirees to examine the relevant documents before drawing conclusions about their entitlements.
The dispute followed the implementation of a salary increase for serving military personnel, effective September 1, 2026, and the subsequent adjustment of pensions and arrears for retirees.
Presenting their grievances, the veterans alleged that the increases received by some pensioners fell below the announced percentages of 80 per cent for personnel from private to staff sergeant, 50 per cent for warrant officers to colonels, and 30 per cent for brigadier generals and above.
They also questioned disparities in arrears paid to personnel in neighbouring ranks, particularly warrant officers and master warrant officers, and called for clarification of pension arrangements for medically boarded veterans.
In response, AVM Abdulraheem explained that the board did not independently determine the salary rates used for pension computation but relied on the approved structure issued by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.
He said the revised structure provided different salary steps for each rank, which form the basis for calculating pension entitlements according to the applicable regulations and years of service.
The chairman explained that pension benefits are calculated using a graduated formula, with eligible retirees entitled to 40 per cent of their applicable final emoluments after 10 years of service, increasing by two percentage points for each additional year, up to a maximum of 90 per cent after 35 years.
Using the master warrant officer rank as an example, he demonstrated how the approved salary figure translates into a monthly pension under the prescribed formula.
Abdulraheem maintained that the board was required to apply the same framework to existing pensioners and personnel who would retire in the future to ensure consistency and compliance with the law.
He stressed that the MPB could not alter the approved computation based on individual expectations, adding that any fundamental change to the governing framework would require the appropriate legal and regulatory action.
The chairman, however, urged the veterans to submit their pension records, payslips and calculations for examination, assuring them that specific discrepancies could be assessed against the relevant documents.
He also called for better coordination among veterans' associations, expressing concern over repeated representations by different groups claiming recognition, and urged them to engage the board through appropriate channels.
Speaking on behalf of the veterans, retired Master Warrant Officer Duru Augustine questioned the arrears paid to some retirees, presenting calculations which he said indicated a possible shortfall in his category.
He argued that the veterans were seeking clarity on how the approved salary adjustment translated into the actual amounts credited to their accounts.
The representatives further urged the board to address concerns about differences in payments across rank categories and to explain the treatment of medically boarded personnel whose benefits, they alleged, had previously been reduced.
They maintained that military retirees deserved transparent explanations of their pension entitlements and called for an approach that would communicate directly with the wider veteran community.
Despite the chairman's explanations, the parties did not fully reconcile the disputed figures during the meeting, leaving questions over the alleged short payments unresolved.
In a subsequent update, the veterans said a separate meeting involving 10 representatives, including their leader, retired Lieutenant-Colonel Innocent Azubuke, had failed to produce a satisfactory outcome.
They consequently called on protesters at the MPB gate to remain peacefully at the location until further notice and urged other veterans in the Federal Capital Territory and neighbouring areas to join them in solidarity.
The veterans described the protest as a collective demand for their welfare, dignity and pension rights, while urging participants to remain united, disciplined and peaceful.
The dispute now centres on whether the amounts paid accurately reflect the approved pension structure, with the veterans demanding further clarification and the MPB maintaining that its calculations are guided by the applicable law and official salary templates.
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