Retired Nigerian police officers, alongside their wives and children, on Monday took to the streets of Abuja to protest what they described as years of neglect and hardship under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
The retirees, who said many of them served the country for as long as 35 years before retirement, called on the Federal Government to urgently remove retired police personnel from the Contributory Pension Scheme and address what they described as persistent pension and welfare challenges confronting former officers.
The protesters gathered in Abuja carrying placards and voicing their grievances, saying their decades of service to Nigeria had not translated into a decent, secure and dignified retirement.
According to the retirees, despite dedicating the productive years of their lives to the Nigeria Police Force and serving in the protection of lives and property across the country, many former officers are still struggling with pension-related difficulties and inadequate welfare after retirement.
One of the retired officers expressed frustration over their condition, lamenting that former police personnel who had spent decades serving the country had now become a liability after retirement.
The retiree questioned why police officers who dedicated up to 35 years to protecting Nigerians should continue to experience hardship and uncertainty after leaving active service.
The protesters also compared the treatment of retired police officers with the Federal Government’s response to pension and welfare concerns raised by retired military personnel.
They argued that former police officers, who also served the country under difficult and dangerous conditions, deserved similar attention, recognition and welfare support from the government.
The retirees said their decision to protest followed what they described as prolonged neglect of their grievances by relevant government authorities.
They maintained that their pension concerns had persisted despite repeated appeals for government intervention, leaving many retired officers and their families struggling to cope with life after service.
The protesters therefore called on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to urgently review the pension arrangements applicable to retired police officers and consider their demand for a total exit from the Contributory Pension Scheme.
They further demanded improved welfare provisions for retired police personnel, stressing that officers who spent their productive years protecting the country should not be abandoned to hardship after retirement.
The retirees urged the Federal Government and relevant agencies responsible for pension administration and police welfare to intervene urgently and provide a lasting solution to the issues affecting former police officers.
They said addressing their grievances would not only improve the welfare of retired personnel but also demonstrate that the Nigerian government values the sacrifices made by those who spent decades serving and protecting the country.