Sign Police Pension Bill or Lose Our Votes, Retirees Warn Tinubu

Retired police officers on Monday staged a protest in Abuja, warning President Bola Tinubu that failure to sign the Police Exit Bill could cost him their support in future elections.

The demonstrators, alongside their families, blocked access to the Presidential Villa’s Gate 8 for several hours, demanding immediate assent to the bill seeking to remove the Nigeria Police Force from the Contributory Pension Scheme.

Speaking during the protest, the National Coordinator of the Police Retired Officers Forum of Nigeria, CSP Raphael Irowainu (retd.), said retirees across the 36 states were prepared to use their votes “judiciously” if their demands were ignored.

He described the current pension system as unjust, noting that many officers retire with meagre benefits despite years of service and exposure to life-threatening conditions.

“We are calling on the President to sign the bill as a matter of urgency. Retirees are major stakeholders nationwide and will determine their future with their votes,” Irowainu said.

The bill, passed by the National Assembly in December 2025 and forwarded to the Presidency in March 2026, proposes the establishment of a dedicated Police Pension Board and exemption of officers from the Contributory Pension Scheme.

Protesters carried placards with inscriptions such as “End CPS” and “Police dey work, PenCom dey chop,” insisting that other security agencies had already been removed from the scheme.

Another retired officer, CSP Mannir Zaria, said families joined the protest to highlight the hardship faced by retirees, including poor monthly pensions and inadequate welfare support.

Some protesters also threatened to escalate demonstrations nationwide if the bill is not signed, vowing to sustain pressure until their demands are met.

A letter submitted to the Presidency detailed pension figures described as inadequate, with senior officers reportedly earning between ₦50,000 monthly and lower ranks receiving as little as ₦20,000.

The retirees warned that continued delay could trigger prolonged protests across the country under the banner “No Retreat, No Surrender.”