June 29: Police Retirees Announce New Protest, Seek Tinubu's Signature on Pension Bill

Retired police officers across Nigeria are gearing up for another nationwide protest on June 29, 2026, to press their demands concerning pension issues. This announcement was made by retired Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Raphael Irowainu, who serves as the National Coordinator for the Police Retired Officers Forum (PROF), in a protest notice sent to SaharaReporters on Sunday.

This upcoming demonstration is part of an ongoing series of actions by former police personnel, who are vehemently advocating for the removal of the Nigeria Police Force from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS). Their primary demand is for President Bola Tinubu to sign the Police Exit Bill into law without further delay. The retirees had previously issued a warning, stating that failure by President Tinubu to assent to the bill before June 22, 2026, would trigger renewed protests across the country.

The legislation, officially titled the Nigeria Police Force Pension Board Bill, aims to exempt police officers from the stipulations of the Pension Reform Act 2014. It also proposes the establishment of a dedicated pension board specifically for the police force. This bill has successfully passed through both chambers of the National Assembly and has since been transmitted to President Tinubu for his presidential assent.

Members of the PROF have consistently criticized the Contributory Pension Scheme, labeling it as "inhumane," "fraudulent," and akin to "slavery." According to the group, many retired officers receive insufficient retirement benefits despite dedicating decades to service. They highlight cases where retirees allegedly receive lump-sum payments ranging from ₦3 million to ₦4 million, with monthly pensions often falling between a meager ₦30,000 and ₦50,000.

The retirees further argue that their continued inclusion in the CPS constitutes discrimination, pointing out that other security and intelligence agencies, such as the Armed Forces, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), have already been granted exemption from the scheme. They also contend that such poor retirement benefits severely undermine the morale and overall welfare of currently serving officers.

If enacted into law, the proposed bill would lead to the creation of a Nigeria Police Force Pension Board, which would independently manage police pensions, separate from the National Pension Commission (PenCom). This new framework is designed to provide a pension structure that would entitle retired officers to 85 percent of their total active emoluments as pension benefits.

This latest protest follows a similar demonstration held in Abuja in April. During that event, retired police officers marched through the Three Arms Zone, effectively blocking access to Gate 8 of the Presidential Villa, all while demanding the President's assent to the critical bill. Led by Irowainu, the protesters displayed placards and accused the government of subjecting police retirees to an unfair pension regime. Speaking at the April protest, Irowainu reiterated that their core demand was for President Tinubu to sign the Police Exit Bill, emphasizing its passage by the National Assembly and transmission to the Presidency. He underscored the perceived injustice, noting that while other security agencies had been removed from the CPS, police officers remained bound by what he described as an unjust system. The retirees firmly believe that the proposed law would liberate police personnel from what they term a "slavery and untimely death-inducing pension scheme."