Under pouring rain and with placards in hand, a group of retired Nigerian police officers staged a dramatic protest at the gates of the National Assembly in Abuja on Monday, July 21, 2025. Their demand? Immediate removal from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), which they say has reduced them to lives of hardship and indignity after decades of national service.
Drenched but defiant, the elderly ex-officers—many in their 60s and 70s—refused to be moved by the rain or the lack of official response. They stood shoulder to shoulder in a show of unity, chanting solidarity songs, raising placards, and drawing attention to what they describe as years of institutional neglect.
The leader of the group, retired Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Manir Lawal, made an emotional appeal to both the federal government and the National Assembly. “We are here to ask the government to remove us from the CPS. The pension scheme is exploitative and unjust,” he said.
“I am 67 years old. Many of us here are in our 70s. We served this country with everything we had. Now, the same country has left us to die slowly. This scheme has impoverished us,” Lawal continued, his voice barely rising above the rain.
What Is the CPS, and Why Are Retirees Angry?
The Contributory Pension Scheme was introduced under the Pension Reform Act of 2004, aiming to modernize and streamline the pension process. Under the CPS, both employees and employers make monthly contributions to private pension fund administrators (PFAs), which invest the funds until retirement.
But retired police officers say the system has failed them. They claim irregular payments, poor returns, and a lack of transparency in how their pensions are managed. Many of them retired before the law was enacted but were still pushed into the new system—one they say was never designed to cater for their generation.
This Is Not Their First Cry for Help
This protest is part of a larger, ongoing movement by retired police officers. Earlier this year, human rights activist Omoyele Sowore led a similar protest to the Force Headquarters. The Inspector General of Police had to order increased security as the movement gained traction nationwide.
The demonstrators argue that other agencies such as the military and Department of State Services (DSS) were exempted from the CPS and enjoy more favorable retirement terms under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS). They want the same.
Despite the Rain, Their Resolve Remains Unshaken
Eyewitnesses at the scene described the protest as peaceful but deeply emotional. Some of the retirees reportedly collapsed due to cold and fatigue but were quickly revived by fellow demonstrators. Still, they stood their ground.
“We won’t leave until someone listens to us,” another protester shouted. “They send us to fight criminals, but now they treat us like criminals.”
Security operatives kept a cautious watch, ensuring no escalation occurred, but did not intervene as the protest remained peaceful.
As of press time, there has been no official response from the National Assembly leadership or the Pension Commission (PenCom). The retired officers, however, vowed to return with larger numbers if their demands remain ignored.
This protest is more than a cry for pension reform—it is a cry for dignity, recognition, and justice. The rain may have soaked their uniforms, but not their resolve.
This is a developing story.
