Twenty High-Ranking Kaduna Retirees Die Awaiting Unpaid Benefits

The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Kaduna State chapter, has revealed a tragic escalation in the state’s pension crisis, reporting that no fewer than 20 senior retired public officers have died without receiving their retirement entitlements. The deceased include former Permanent Secretaries, Secretaries to the State Government (SSGs), and Heads of Service

. Alhassan Balarabe Musa, Secretary of the NUP in Kaduna, disclosed on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, that these high-ranking officials passed away while waiting for the state government to settle a backlog of pensions and gratuities, despite some of them having secured court judgments in their favor.

The union lamented that the optimism many retirees felt entering 2025 has “faded into despair.” A primary grievance is the state’s failure to implement the ₦32,000 pension increase approved by the Federal Government for those under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS).

Additionally, the NUP highlighted the “emotional distress” of retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), particularly those from local governments, who have been unable to access their benefits due to inconsistent remittances. Musa noted that while Governor Uba Sani has released approximately ₦10.4 billion for gratuities since mid-2025, the impact has not reached many of the most vulnerable and senior retirees.

The crisis is compounded by a 2024 legal battle where retired Permanent Secretaries challenged the government for drastically reducing their monthly pensions—in some cases from ₦200,000 to ₦100,000—based on their previous cadres rather than their terminal ranks.

While the National Industrial Court has ruled in favor of full payments, the NUP claims implementation remains stalled. The union is now making a “mercy appeal” to Governor Uba Sani to act swiftly, warning that the “voiceless and helpless” senior citizens are dying in silence as they depend solely on these funds for food and life-saving healthcare.