The chairman of the [Military Pension Board](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigerian_Military_Pension_Board) was relieved of his duties on Wednesday after a confrontational meeting with retired armed‑forces officers that took place the previous Tuesday, an episode that reportedly embarrassed the Presidency and senior defence officials.
**Key details of the incident**
- The showdown occurred on Tuesday morning when veterans shut the main gate of the board’s headquarters in Abuja, demanding the President’s intervention.
- Retired Lieutenant‑Colonel Innocent Azubuike led the protest, arriving at 8:30 a.m. and accusing the board of mis‑calculating pension entitlements.
- A shouting match broke out during a scheduled meeting, which ended without resolution, prompting senior military leaders to describe the episode as an “embarrassment”.
- Sources say the fallout led to the removal of Air Vice Marshal Mikail Abdulraheem, who had been serving as the board’s chairman.
- “That last week protest by the veterans really embarrassed the Presidency and the military. I think that is the reason the Chairman is being asked to step aside,” a high‑ranking source told Daily Trust.
**What triggered the protest?**
Retired officers claimed the board was creating “unnecessary disparities” in pension calculations and payments, prompting them to block access to the building as a pressure tactic. Their grievances centered on perceived errors in the computation of take‑home amounts and other entitlements.
**Who was removed from office?**
Air Vice Marshal Mikail Abdulraheem, a senior officer in the Nigerian Air Force, was asked to step down. A senior military official, who requested anonymity, confirmed that Abdulraheem would hand over his responsibilities to a successor on the day of the report.
The board’s spokesperson, Squadron Leader Aliyu Mohammed, could not be reached for comment on the reasons behind the chairman’s dismissal at the time of filing.
The episode also reportedly embarrassed the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (Rtd), and the Chief of Defence Staff, underscoring the sensitivity of pension matters within the armed forces.