Protesters demand Tinubu’s assent to bill seeking police exit from contributory pension scheme
Retired police officers and their wives have staged a protest at the National Assembly in Abuja, demanding that President Bola Tinubu sign into law a bill seeking to remove the Nigeria Police Force from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
The protesters, operating under the Police Retired Officers Forum of Nigeria (PROF), marched to the National Assembly on Wednesday, October 14, calling for urgent action on the proposed legislation, which they said would improve the retirement benefits of former police personnel.
They were heard chanting, “President Tinubu, sign our bill,” while some children who accompanied their parents carried placards supporting the demand.
The forum’s leader, CSP Raphael Irowainu (retd.), said the National Assembly passed the bill on December 4, 2025, and transmitted it to the Presidency on March 16, 2026, for presidential assent.
He said the retirees were dissatisfied with the delay, arguing that the existing pension arrangement had left many former officers struggling to meet basic needs, including food, healthcare and other living expenses.
According to Irowainu, retired officers receive relatively low lump-sum payments and monthly pensions despite years of service to the country. He cited examples of retired Assistant Superintendents of Police receiving monthly pensions of about ₦25,000, while some retired superintendents receive between ₦35,000 and ₦40,000.
He also alleged that more than 20 members of the forum had died within the preceding six months because they could not afford medical treatment. The claim was made by the forum’s leader and was not independently verified in the report.
Retirees Reject Further Assurances
The protest followed previous engagements between the retirees and government officials over their pension concerns.
Irowainu said the forum had approached the Inspector-General of Police, the Ministries of Justice and Police Affairs, and other relevant authorities but had yet to secure a satisfactory resolution.
The retirees also protested at the headquarters of the National Pension Commission (PenCom) earlier in the week, demanding that the commission stop opposing the proposed withdrawal of the police from the contributory scheme.
According to the forum, PenCom officials appealed for calm and assured the protesters that steps were being taken to improve their retirement benefits. However, the retirees insisted that their primary demand remained the removal of the police from the scheme and the establishment of a separate pension arrangement.
Bill Proposes Dedicated Police Pension Board
The proposed legislation seeks to exempt police personnel from the Contributory Pension Scheme and establish a dedicated Police Pension Board to administer their retirement benefits.
The protesters argued that the police should have a pension arrangement similar to those available to certain other security and intelligence agencies.
Their demonstration came a day after retired military personnel protested in Abuja over the formula used to adjust their pensions, highlighting wider concerns among some former security personnel about retirement benefits.
The Federal Government had earlier acknowledged the concerns of retired police officers. On October 5, the Ministry of Police Affairs said it had engaged with their representatives over pension and welfare issues.
The retirees vowed to continue their protest until President Tinubu assents to the bill or the government takes concrete steps to address their grievances.