By Okechukwu Nwanguma
On April 20, 2026, retired officers of the Nigeria Police Force staged a peaceful protest at the gates of the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Under the banner “No Retreat; No Surrender,” they demanded presidential assent to the Police Exit Bill – legislation passed by the National Assembly to remove the police from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS). Their action, though dramatic, is neither spontaneous nor unjustified. It is the culmination of years of neglect, broken promises, and systemic disregard for the welfare of those who served on the frontlines of Nigeria’s internal security.
From a human rights and governance perspective, the plight of police retirees raises fundamental concerns about the Nigerian state’s compliance with its obligations to workers, including those in uniform. The right to social security and dignity in retirement is not a privilege – it is a core component of economic and social justice. When those who spent decades enforcing the law are subjected to conditions that undermine their post-service well-being, it reflects a deeper institutional failure.
The retirees’ decision to initially suspend their protest following assurances from the Inspector-General of Police, and their subsequent return when those assurances did not yield results, underscores a pattern that has become all too familiar in Nigeria: engagement without resolution.
While renewed assurances were reportedly given during their encounter with senior officials at the Villa, including that the bill is under consideration by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, such assurances must now translate into concrete action.
At the heart of the matter is the question of equity and rational policy. Several security and intelligence agencies – including the armed forces and others – have been exempted from the CPS due to the peculiar risks and demands of their service. The Nigeria Police Force operates under similar, if not more complex, internal security pressures. Retaining police personnel within a pension framework that has demonstrably failed many retirees raises legitimate concerns about discrimination, policy inconsistency, and institutional injustice.
As noted by Godswill Akpabio during the passage of the bill, fairness requires that comparable risks attract comparable protections. This is not merely a political statement; it is a principle that should guide public policy in a constitutional democracy.
However, beyond the issue of parity lies a broader national security implication. RULAAC’s consistent documentation and advocacy have shown that poor welfare – both in service and in retirement – contributes significantly to low morale, vulnerability to corruption, and weakened operational effectiveness within the police. A system that neglects its personnel in retirement sends a dangerous signal to those still serving: that sacrifice is neither recognized nor rewarded.
The protest by police retirees must therefore be understood not as an isolated grievance but as part of a continuum of structural challenges within Nigeria’s policing system. Addressing it requires more than a one-off legislative assent; it demands a comprehensive, rights-based reform of police welfare, including transparent and accountable pension administration, effective grievance redress mechanisms, and sustained investment in the well-being of personnel.
The retirees have indicated that failure to secure assent to the Police Exit Bill by April 27, 2026, will lead to an escalation of protests across strategic national and international locations. While peaceful protest remains a constitutionally protected right, the situation calls for proactive and responsible leadership to prevent further deterioration.
President Tinubu now faces a critical test of governance: whether to act decisively in resolving a long-standing injustice or allow it to deepen into a broader crisis of confidence in the state’s commitment to those who serve it.
For RULAAC, the position is clear. The dignity of police personnel – serving and retired – is inseparable from the integrity and effectiveness of the institution itself. A police force that is poorly treated cannot be expected to uphold the rights and security of citizens effectively.
Justice for police retirees is not only about the past; it is an investment in the future of policing and public safety in Nigeria. The time to act is now.
- Okechukwu Nwanguma is the Executive Director, Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC). He wrote in from Lagos.
