Scores of security personnel drawn from the Nigerian military, Nigerian police, Nigeria Immigration Service and Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) and others are currently on alert at the headquarters of the Ministry of Defence, Abuja.

The heavy deployment, it was learnt, was done ahead of the planned massive protest by the retired military officers over the non-implementation of consequential adjustments to their pensions.

President Bola Tinubu recently approved new salary scale for serving military officers with a view to bolstering their performance across all the theatres of operations in the country.

The increment, which the retired military officers said it shouldn’t have left them out having served the country diligently for 35 years or more, cut across all the ranks in the military.

According to report, a visit to the Ministry of Defence Headquarters on Wednesday morning, shows no fewer than three Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) belonging to the military were counted, with about 18 vehicles belonging to the police, Army, Immigration, VIO, NSCDC, FRSC and other security agencies, which were stationed at both ends of the roads and other strategic locations around the protest ground.

Armed soldiers were seen moving around the venue as security operatives took strategic positions along roads leading to the ministry – the development that has already caused gridlock around the area.

Although the planned protest was yet to begin as of when filing this report at about 9:10am, the retired military officers insisted that the protest would go ahead as planned, saying “no going back”.

The report quoted a retired Master Warrant Officer, who didn’t want his name in print, as saying that the Minister was supposed to have met them in order to sort out the issue but the people around him prevented him from doing so.

“Gen. Christopher Musa is a kind man. He is always willing to see to the welfare of both the serving and retired personnel but those around him don’t want him to succeed.

“This protest would go as planned to draw the attention of the world that we also deserve to be treated with fairness, not with impunity. We also deserve what was given to the serving personnel,” the report said.

He maintained that the retirees are protesting the alleged failure of the authorities to implement consequential adjustments to their pensions following salary increases approved for serving military personnel.

One of the leaders of the retirees, Innocent Azubike, a retired Colonel, had said the protest was aimed at demanding what he described as the constitutional pension rights of military retirees.

Azubike said President Bola Tinubu approved a salary increase for military personnel in November 2025, which, according to him, should have resulted in a corresponding adjustment of pensions for retired personnel.

He, however, alleged that the adjustment had yet to be implemented despite repeated acknowledgements by military authorities of the President’s approval.

Azubike said, “We have a protest on Wednesday at the Ministry of Defence to demand our constitutional pension rights.

“In November last year, the President approved a new pay increase for the military, and it came with a consequential adjustment for retirees and pensioners.

“It was in the news throughout that November, and the high military authorities repeatedly thanked the President for the gesture.

“But suddenly, in July and August, it was not implemented and they started changing their stories, as if it should be forgotten.”

Over 20 people have been reportedly killed in Binper community, Bwai District of Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State following attacks on houses in the area.

The attack happened less than a week after three persons were killed, while Fulani and Mwaghavul communities accused each other of arson.

According to the National President of the Mwaghavul Development Association (MDA), Bulus Dabit, the attackers invaded the community around midnight while victims were asleep.

Report quoted an eyewitness, Daniel Musa, as saying that the heavily armed attackers moved from house to house, forcing their way in and attacking residents in their sleep.

He said: “Our village came under attack last night and in the early hours of today, Tuesday. Heavily armed persons were moving from house to house, opening the doors of people who were sleeping and slaughtering them.

“As of this morning, we have confirmed over 20 deaths, while several others sustained serious injuries and some people are still missing, “ he added.

Security officials had not commented on the incident as of the time of filing this report.

Human rights activist and the African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections, Omoyele Sowore, has condemned the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) over its continued destruction of cannabis farms across Nigeria, describing the practice as economically wasteful and “idiotic.”

Sowore made the remarks in a post on X while criticising the agency for destroying cannabis plantations that he said could have significant economic value amid Nigeria’s worsening poverty and unemployment crisis.

“It is idiotic, [@ndlea_nigeria] wake up, put on uniforms, march into farms, and set economically viable crops worth millions of dollars ablaze while your country is drowning in multidimensional poverty,” Sowore wrote.

The AAC candidate accused the NDLEA of pursuing what he described as a “failed and outdated policy” instead of exploring the economic, medicinal and industrial potential of cannabis.“Stop destroying cannabis farms. Stop wasting enormous economic opportunities in the name of a failed and outdated policy,” he said.

Sowore further called for the legalisation and regulation of cannabis, arguing that the policy shift could create employment, generate government revenue and encourage investment in an emerging agricultural and industrial sector.

“Legalize and properly regulate cannabis. Invest in research, harness its legitimate medicinal and industrial potential, create jobs, generate revenue, and build an industry Nigerians can benefit from,” he said.

“You cannot burn your way out of poverty, foolish people!”

Sowore’s comments come amid continued NDLEA operations against cannabis cultivation across the country.

The Edo State Command of the NDLEA had destroyed two cannabis plantations with an estimated yield of 4,628.9 kilogrammes and arrested 10 suspected drug traffickers in separate operations across the state.

The state NDLEA Commander, Mitchell Ofoyeju, disclosed this in a statement on Monday, saying the operations were carried out following credible intelligence.

Ofoyeju said operatives destroyed the cannabis farms located at Ugboku, Igbanke Forest, in the Orhionmwon Local Government Area of the state, while separate raids were conducted at drug flashpoints in Oluku, Ovia North-East Local Government Area, and Abuja Quarters in Oredo Local Government Area of Benin City.

He said the operations were conducted in line with the operational order of the NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, to dislodge illicit drug locations across the country.