Tinubu’s N150m Gift to Super Falcons Ignites Fury Among Neglected Police and Military Veterans

RYNI News | Omotayo Stephen . O
3 August 2025

A thunderous celebration over Nigeria’s footballing triumph has given way to a thunderstorm of outrage, as President Bola Tinubu’s jaw-dropping gift of $100,000 (₦150 million) to each member of the victorious Super Falcons has opened old wounds among Nigeria’s forgotten heroes—retired police officers and military veterans.

On Monday, the triumphant Super Falcons, having staged a sensational comeback to clinch their 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title, were hosted at the Presidential Villa. But the real kicker wasn’t the photo ops or the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger—it was the President’s staggering gift: $100,000 (N150m) to each player and $50,000 to technical crew members, plus a three-bedroom flat in the FCT’s Renewed Hope Estate.

While the glittering reward drew cheers from some quarters, it ignited a storm of criticism elsewhere—most notably from retired military and police personnel who feel abandoned by the country they bled for.

Human rights activist and politician Omoyele Sowore captured the national mood with a blistering reaction:

“Life is brutally unfair to Nigerian police officers. After 35 years of service, they receive just ₦2 million as gratuity. But athletes get ₦150 million for a single tournament? That’s beyond inequality—it’s state-sanctioned insult.”

His words have found resonance across barracks and retired officers’ associations, where bitterness now simmers beneath weary uniforms and hospital bills.

“A Game of Misplaced Priorities”

Punch gathered that among the loudest critics are ex-servicemen under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), who view the President’s gesture as a glaring indictment of government priorities.

Lukmon Aderibigbe, a retired army corporal who served in active combat against insurgents, struggled to conceal his grief:

“How do you reward a 90-minute football game with N150m, yet soldiers who risk their lives daily for 35 years retire into suffering?” he asked, his voice breaking. “My friend died from injuries the army refused to treat because NHIS said gunshot wounds weren’t covered.”

The bitterness runs deep. Aderibigbe claims his own gratuity was a mere N2m after 15 years of active duty, and that attempts to have his pension recalculated following the new minimum wage fell on deaf ears.

“I Took the Bullets, Got Peanuts”

Olumayowa Akogun-Abudu, a former Lance Corporal wounded by a suicide bomber in 2017, paints an equally bleak picture.

“N150m can’t replace what I lost,” he told PUNCH. “I paid for my treatment myself. Thirteen years of service, and all I got was a little over N2m. That’s the value of my sacrifice?”

He isn’t alone. In Yobe, ex-Corporal Abdullahi Idris, now walking with a limp from a service injury, said his N72,900 monthly pension barely keeps him alive. “The government has made us third-class citizens,” he said. “We sacrificed our youth. Now we are forgotten.”

Retired Police Officers: ‘Why Not Us?’

It’s not just the military. Retired police officers under the CPS are furious too. Mannir Lawal, a leader among them, lamented:

“We were told there’s no money. Then suddenly, N150m appears for footballers. That insult cuts deep.”

Another, Buba Danjuma, accused the government of favouring spectacle over service. “The girls played for 90 minutes. We served for decades, many of us dying in the line of duty. Yet we are rewarded with suffering and silence.”

Presidency Stands Firm

However, the Presidency is unmoved. Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, dismissed the criticisms as unrelated:

“You cannot link their reward to other sectors. Nigerians are proud of the Falcons’ achievement. The gesture is deserved,” he stated.

But for the thousands of retired soldiers and police officers facing unpaid entitlements, neglected injuries, and rising costs of living, the message is clear: their battles are long over—and so, it seems, is the nation’s gratitude.

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