Tensions flared in Nigeria’s capital on Monday as dozens of retired police officers braved torrential rain to stage a protest outside the National Assembly and Police Headquarters, demanding their removal from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
The retirees—many elderly and visibly distressed—held placards and sang protest songs, decrying years of what they described as pension injustice. The protest briefly paralysed activities at the Force Headquarters, where demonstrators blocked the main entrance.
According to retired CSP Manir Lawal, who spoke on behalf of the group, the pension scheme under which retired police officers currently fall has left many living in hardship.
“We’re not asking for charity. We’re demanding justice. We gave 35 years of our lives to this country, only to be rewarded with poverty,” Lawal said. “The CPS is not tailored for police service, and we want out.”
The protest was peaceful, although police presence remained high to ensure order. Protesters later marched to Louis Edet House, further escalating the standoff.
In response, Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, met with protest leaders and later announced that the force had begun steps to address their grievances.
“We had a fruitful engagement with the retirees, and I can confirm that their demands are receiving serious attention,” Egbetokun told reporters. “They’ve agreed to go home and wait for the changes that are underway.”
The protest underscores growing criticism of Nigeria’s pension reforms, especially from sectors with irregular career structures such as security and defence.
As calls mount for sector-specific pension arrangements, the federal government is expected to come under increasing pressure to review the CPS framework for public safety retirees.
