Retired Police Officers Announce Nationwide Protest Over Pension Crisis

The Kaduna State chapter of the Union of Retired Police Officers has announced plans to stage a nationwide protest on July 21, 2025, to demand an end to what they describe as enduring pension hardships under the Contributory Pension Scheme. The protest, which the group is calling the “Mother of All Peaceful Protests,” will take place across all 36 states of Nigeria.

Following a monthly meeting held at the Police Officers’ Mess in Kaduna, the union’s Chairman, Mannir M. Zaria, and Vice Chairman, Danlami Maigamo, said the peaceful demonstration was a last resort after repeated calls for pension reform were ignored. They said retired police officers have continued to suffer severe financial distress, emotional trauma, and rising incidents of depression and deaths, which they attributed to the failure of the pension scheme to adequately support them after years of service.

The group is demanding that the Nigeria Police Force be removed from the Contributory Pension Scheme and that an independent Police Pension Board be established to address what they call a systemic injustice in the current pension arrangement. Recalling an earlier protest held between February 24 and March 3, 2025, at the National Assembly by members from Kaduna and Bauchi States, the union expressed frustration over the lack of response from lawmakers. Petitions submitted during that protest to five key offices—including the chairmen of relevant Senate and House committees and the Director of the Department of State Services—have gone unanswered, they said.

The retirees also voiced disappointment over the absence of follow-up actions after a public hearing on the Police Pension Board Bill held on November 19, 2024. They reiterated that their agitation is entirely peaceful and dissociated themselves from any group advocating violence.

“Our protest is about dignity and survival, not disruption. We will continue to press our demands through lawful and peaceful means until justice is done,” the group stated, emphasizing that their campaign will persist until authorities heed their call for reform.