By Tracy Ohovwore
Retired police officers across Nigeria staged coordinated nationwide protests on Monday, braving heavy rainfall in Abuja and marching peacefully in several states to demand their removal from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
The protest in Abuja, held at the gates of the National Assembly, drew national attention as elderly officers—many in their 60s and 70s—chanted, sang, and carried placards under the rain. They accused the Federal Government of subjecting them to financial hardship and indignity after decades of service.
Joining the Abuja protest was activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore, who publicly supported the retirees’ demands.
The protesters decried years of neglect, meager pension payments, and a system they described as exploitative. Speaking to journalists, retired Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Manir Lawal criticized the CPS.
“We are here to ask the government to remove us from the CPS,” he said. “The scheme is unjust. I am 67 years old. Many of us are sick, hungry, and unable to meet basic needs. This is not the retirement we were promised.”
Similar protests were held across the country. In Benin City, Edo State, the state chapter of the National Association of Retired Police Officers (under the CPS) convened a press briefing to express their grievances.
Edo State Chairman, SP Anthony Nnachor (rtd.), described the financial conditions of most retirees as dire.
“We are here to let the world know what we are passing through,” Nnachor said. “Many of us served this country for over 35 years, yet we can no longer feed ourselves or afford medical care. Retired senior officers, including Commissioners of Police, are receiving as little as ₦25,000 or ₦30,000 monthly. What kind of pension is that?”
He explained that under the CPS, retirees receive only 25% of their total pension savings as a lump sum, with the remaining 75% paid in small monthly stipends via Pension Fund Administrators—a system he described as a “killer disease.”
He called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene and facilitate the transition of police retirees to the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS), similar to the arrangement used for military retirees.
“This is not a call for charity,” Nnachor added. “We are demanding justice. We’ve been in this struggle since 2019.”
Also speaking at the press conference, the association’s Publicity Secretary, SP Johnson Oyameda (retd.), described the CPS as fraudulent and incapable of ensuring a dignified retirement. He urged the National Assembly to fast-track the passage of a bill that would formally exempt police retirees from the scheme, noting that previous efforts had not yielded results.
In Jalingo, Taraba State, another group of retired officers marched through the streets with placards reading: “Scrap Police Contributory Pension Scheme,” “We Need Our Full Gratuity,” and “Police Are Suffering in Retirement.”
Ahead of the protests, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, directed all Commissioners of Police across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to ensure peaceful conduct and provide protection for the protesting retirees.
In a statement issued by Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the IGP reaffirmed the retirees’ right to peaceful protest.
“The IGP has ordered that the rights of our retired officers who have chosen to protest must be protected,” the statement read. “This protest should serve as a model of dignified expression of grievance.”
As momentum builds, the retired officers have vowed to sustain their demonstrations until the government addresses their demands. For them, the CPS is not only a source of financial strain but also a symbol of broken promises and systemic neglect.
