Dozens of retired police officers staged a protest under heavy rain in Abuja on Monday morning, demanding immediate payment of their outstanding entitlements and pensions.
The peaceful protest, which took place outside the Nigeria Police Headquarters in the nation’s capital, saw aging ex-officers—some in their 60s and 70s—holding placards, chanting solidarity songs, and appealing directly to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Chanting “Tinubu, pay police!” the retirees braved the downpour to express frustration over what they called years of neglect, exploitation, and poor treatment by the government, despite decades of loyal service to the country.
A major demand of the protesting officers is their removal from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), which they described as discriminatory, unjust, and exploitative. Many blamed the scheme for the financial hardship they have endured in retirement and claimed that some of their colleagues have died without receiving their due benefits.
“We are here to ask the government to remove us from the CPS. The pension scheme is exploitative and unjust,” said retired Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), Manir Lawal.
“I am 67 years old. Many of us here are senior citizens who have served this country with everything we have. We deserve to retire in dignity, not in poverty. This scheme has impoverished us, and it must end.”
The protesting officers said their current pensions under the CPS are meager, irregular, and not reflective of their rank or years of service. They insisted that retired police personnel should be returned to the more secure and beneficial Defined Benefits Scheme, which they argue offers fairer compensation.
The demonstration also attracted public figures and activists, including Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters and 2023 presidential candidate, who expressed solidarity with the ex-officers. Popular Hausa skit maker Bello Dangallanci was also spotted among the protesters, lending support and drawing attention to their cause.
“This is not just about retired officers; it’s about justice and human dignity,” Sowore said. “These are people who served this country, who risked their lives for national security. To treat them this way is disgraceful.”
The protest comes amid growing agitation across various sectors over unpaid entitlements and the government’s handling of post-service welfare. For the retired police officers, Monday’s protest was a call for urgent action from the Tinubu administration to address long-standing grievances and restore faith in a system many say has failed them.
As of press time, no official response had been issued by the Presidency or the Police Service Commission regarding the protest or the retirees’ demands.
