Oluwatobi Adu 
LAGOS, Nigeria – Retired workers of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) threaten to join a nationwide naked protest scheduled for December 8, demanding the immediate payment of unsettled pension increments and approved monthly allowances.
In a statement issued on Saturday in Lagos, National Financial Secretary of the FRCN pensioners, Bola Popoola, says retirees under the old Defined Benefit Scheme are left with no alternative after prolonged delays by the authorities.
Popoola explains that unpaid arrears linked to the N32,000 minimum pension have plunged many elderly pensioners into severe financial hardship, leaving some unable to meet basic living costs.
The retirees also accuse the government of failing to implement the N25,000 monthly palliative approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2023, describing the delay as “inhumane”.
“Our decision to participate in the naked protest is driven by the government’s outright refusal to pay the N25,000 palliative for six months, despite presidential approval since 2023,” Popoola says.
The protest is organised by the Coalition of Federal Pensioners of Nigeria. Its National Chairman, Mukaila Ogunbote, describes the demonstration as unavoidable, accusing authorities of ignoring lawful financial obligations to retired public servants.
Popoola further reveals that Nigerian pensioners living abroad are planning parallel protests in their countries of residence to draw international attention to the crisis.
He says it is tragic that workers who dedicated decades to national service are now forced into poverty and public humiliation. “Pensioners are already vulnerable. Subjecting them to hunger and desperation after years of service is unacceptable,” he adds.
The protesters are calling on the Federal Government to intervene urgently and resolve outstanding pension arrears before the planned demonstration escalates.
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Korede Abdullah 
Koko Maxwella