Dare Babalola
Retired personnel of the Nigeria Police Force on Monday staged a protest at the Presidential Villa, blocking one of its gates as they intensified calls for their removal from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
The protesters, joined by family members and operating under the Police Retired Officers Forum of Nigeria, decried their continued inclusion in the scheme, describing it as “fraudulent, illegal, inhumane, and obnoxious.”
Their demonstration, they said, is aimed at compelling Bola Ahmed Tinubu to assent to the Police Exit Bill, which was passed by the National Assembly on December 4, 2025, and transmitted to the Presidency on March 16, 2026.
According to the retirees, signing the bill into law would formally remove police personnel from the CPS, which they argue has subjected many of them to hardship after retirement. They further described the scheme as a system that has left former officers struggling to survive.
The protest was led by the National Coordinator of the forum, Raphael Irowainu, who told journalists that the group’s objective was straightforward.
“Our major aim is to prevail on the President to sign the bill exiting the police from the Contributory Pension Scheme into law. The bill has already been passed and transmitted to him,” he said.
Irowainu expressed frustration that while other security agencies—such as the military and intelligence services—have been exempted from the scheme, police personnel remain under it.
“The Army, Navy, Air Force, SSS and NIA have all been exited. The police, who are the foundation of internal security, are still trapped in this scheme,” he added.
The protest underscores a long-running dispute over police pensions. In 2025, retirees staged similar demonstrations at the National Assembly and the Force Headquarters in Abuja, where elderly protesters were seen holding placards and chanting in the rain.
The then Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, acknowledged the concerns raised but noted that exiting the CPS would require due process and could not be achieved immediately. He also urged protest leaders to avoid spreading misinformation, assuring that steps were being taken to improve the welfare of retired officers.
Monday’s action, however, highlights growing impatience among retirees, as they continue to push for swift presidential approval of the pending legislation.
