Retired police officers across Nigeria have announced plans to hold a nationwide protest on July 21, 2025, to demand the immediate removal of the Nigeria Police Force from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
The retirees say the protest will be peaceful and is expected to take place simultaneously across all 36 states of the federation. The planned demonstration is being organized in response to what the former officers describe as unbearable economic hardship, increasing mortality rates among retired police personnel, and the persistent failure of the Nigerian government to implement meaningful pension reforms.
According to the retirees, the CPS has left many former officers struggling to survive after decades of service to the country. They argue that the scheme does not provide adequate financial security for retired police personnel, leaving them unable to meet basic living expenses such as food, shelter, and medical care. This situation, they claim, has led to a growing number of deaths among retired officers who are unable to afford necessary treatment or support themselves in retirement.
Several retired officers have expressed frustration over the government’s handling of their pension concerns. They accuse relevant authorities of ignoring repeated appeals and petitions calling for the police to be removed from the Contributory Pension Scheme and placed on a more sustainable and secure pension arrangement.
Organizers of the protest say the planned action will highlight the plight of retired officers who have served the nation but now face extreme financial distress in retirement. The protest will also serve as a warning to the federal government and pension administrators that continued silence and inaction are no longer acceptable.
Retired officers argue that the nature of police service, which often involves high-risk and life-threatening duties, demands a pension scheme that offers stability and dignity in retirement. They insist that the current arrangement under the CPS does not reflect the sacrifices made by officers during their active years in service.
The retirees are calling on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to take immediate steps to remove the Nigeria Police from the Contributory Pension Scheme and restore them to the defined benefits pension system, which they believe provides more reliable and humane retirement benefits.
They also want the National Assembly to take legislative action to support this demand by amending existing pension laws that mandate police participation in the CPS. The retirees maintain that the CPS was designed primarily for civil servants and does not account for the unique hazards faced by members of the police force.
While stressing that the protest will be peaceful, the organizers warned that retired officers are losing patience with continued delays in addressing their grievances. They have vowed to sustain their agitation until the federal government takes definitive action to remove the police from the scheme.
As the July 21 protest date approaches, security observers are watching closely to see how the federal government will respond. The Nigeria Police Force, the Pension Commission, and other relevant agencies have not issued public statements in response to the planned protest at the time of reporting.
The planned protest adds to growing national debates about the effectiveness and fairness of Nigeria’s pension systems, particularly for security personnel. It also underscores rising public pressure on the federal government to revisit and reform pension policies to reflect current economic realities and the needs of vulnerable retirees.
