Nigerian Police Retirees Resume Nationwide Protest September 29 Over “Slave-Like” Pensions
Aggrieved retired police officers have declared plans to resume their nationwide protest on September 29, demanding an end to decades of what they described as “injustice, betrayal, and slave-like pensions” forced on them under Nigeria’s Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
The announcement came on Monday in Abuja, where scores of the retirees gathered at the Federal High Court in solidarity with human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, who is facing charges brought by the police boss, Kayode Egbetokun.
Speaking to journalists, the aggrieved officers accused successive Inspectors-General of Police of negotiating pension reforms to benefit only the elite ranks — from AIGs to IGPs — while abandoning rank-and-file officers to retire in poverty after 35 years of service.
“Imagine serving Nigeria for 35 years and retiring with just ₦1 million. By the time you transport your belongings home, what is left? That is the bitter reality of the Nigerian police,” one retiree said.
The group noted that while the Army, Navy, Air Force, and even civilian agencies like the CBN have dedicated pension boards, police officers remain trapped in the CPS.
They alleged that some senior officers quietly secured their exemption years ago, leaving lower cadres behind.
“Our leaders betrayed us. When soldiers bargained, they carried everyone along. But police chiefs bargained only for themselves,” another retiree lamented.
The officers also expressed solidarity with a former colleague, Ojo, who they said was being persecuted for “standing up for serving and retired policemen.”
“We have no union, nobody to speak for us. If someone dares to fight for us, we will stand by him,” another retiree declared.
The retired police officers under the CPS had previously stormed the National Assembly and Force Headquarters on July 21, blocking entrances for hours until Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, agreed to meet them.
Their leader, CSP Manir Lawal (retd.), said the agitation to exit the CPS began in 2014 but was sabotaged by police leadership misrepresenting retirees’ interests to lawmakers.
“A retired CSP cannot even send his children to school. Our condition has deteriorated beyond repair,” Lawal said, citing months of unpaid pensions by some administrators like African Alliance.
In Edo, Kwara, and Oyo States, similar protests have been held, with retirees branding the CPS “a killer scheme” and demanding their outright removal.
In Ilorin, the Kwara chapter of the Association of Retired Police Officers of Nigeria (ARPON) accused pension managers of fraud, lamenting that some officers received as little as ₦2.4 million in gratuity and ₦30,000 as monthly pension after decades of service.
Responding to the July demonstrations, IGP Egbetokun expressed sympathy but insisted that exiting the CPS was beyond the powers of any single police chief.
“All previous IGs tried their best. Exiting the CPS is beyond the Inspector-General. But I assure you we are not folding our arms — I just met with the NSA on this same issue,” he said.
The IG also argued that pension reforms could still be achieved within the CPS framework, but promised to pursue every avenue to improve welfare.
The retirees, however, are not convinced, vowing to take to the streets again on September 29.
Quoting Proverbs 26:20, they warned: “Where there is no wood, the fire goeth out.”
