ABUJA – Hundreds of retired police officers under the banner of the Police Retired Officers Forum (PROF) brought traffic to a standstill at the Aso Rock Villa gate on Monday, demanding that President Bola Tinubu sign the long-awaited Police Pension Exit Bill.
The retirees, many dressed in their old uniforms and carrying placards, successfully blocked the main entrance to the presidential seat of power. They are protesting what they describe as “starvation pensions” and are demanding a total exit from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
The Pension Exit Bill, which was passed by the National Assembly in late 2025 and transmitted to the Presidency in March, seeks to move the Nigeria Police Force back to a Defined Benefits Scheme—similar to the arrangements enjoyed by the Military and the Department of State Services (DSS).
“We served this country for 35 years only to be handed ₦30,000 a month,” said one retired Superintendent at the scene. “Our colleagues in the Army and the DSS have been moved out of this slavery system. Why is the police being left behind?”
The protesters’ grievances include:
- Monthly Payouts: Retirees claim they receive between ₦20,000 and ₦45,000, which they say cannot cover food or medication in the current economy.
- Delayed Benefits:Â Many reported that their lump-sum gratuities are insufficient to secure housing after decades of service.
- Parity:Â A demand for the immediate establishment of a dedicated Police Pension Board to manage their welfare independently.
Despite a heavy presence of security personnel and attempts by serving officers to disperse the crowd, the retirees remained at the gate, vowing not to leave until they received a “concrete commitment” from the Presidency.
While the government recently introduced a ₦32,000 monthly increment for certain retirees, the officers at the Villa gate rejected it as a “temporary fix,” insisting that only the President’s signature on the Exit Bill would provide a permanent solution to their plight.
