Retired armed forces personnel yesterday staged a peaceful protest in Abuja over the non-payment of their pension by the Federal Government from 2010 till date.

The retired soldiers carrying placards with various inscriptions were however prevented from having access into the presidential villa by armed soldiers and

police men who mounted a road block on the road leading to the Presidential Villa.

Brandishing various placards some of which read, “Mr. President hijacked arrears approved by senate for payment,” Mr. President, pay our pension arrears or forget

2015,” and others, the group which converged at the junction to the Presidential villa, accused President Jonathan of not obeying the directive of the Senate to pay them.

The pensioners in a statement by one of their member, Staff Sgt. Labaran Sani (retd.), said the government has failed to fulfill its constitutional obligations to its past

heroes, noting that it had been silent on the payment of pensions to retired military personnel.

The protesters from various states of the federation, said their pension was reviewed by 53.37 per cent in July 2010 by Jonathan, but claimed that they have not

benefited from the review three years after it was done.

He said:  ”The few of us who sustained partial or permanent disabilities and those who survived the harsh military operations in different trouble spots in our

youthful days count ourselves lucky.

“Those who survived the Nigerian civil war are now few in number and are very old, government owe them the obligation of looking after them properly,” the group

said in their statement.

The Chairman, Military Pensioner Pressure group, Ibadan branch, Gabriel Oaikhena, explained that the protesters planned to storm the Presidential villa, but were

restrained by some senior military officers.

He said: “Our plan was to block the road that leads to the villa and let them come and do the worst. When we protested at the national conference, three senators that

addressed us said the money has been appropriated in the 2014 budget, but it has been hijacked by the Presidency.”

-Sun