… Say “We Risked Our Lives For Nigeria But Can’t Feed Today”
… “We Served 35 Years, Now We Beg To Survive,” Say Angry Pensioners
… Retirees Demand Abolition Of Contributory Pension System For Police
Daud Olatunji
Emotions ran high in Abuja on Thursday as hundreds of retired police officers, many frail and aging, besieged the National Assembly Complex to protest what they described as years of abandonment, unpaid pensions, and crippling hardship after decades of service to the nation.
Clad in faded uniforms and holding placards that read “We Have Turned Beggars After 35 Years of Service” and “Pay Us Our Entitlements Now,” the retirees lamented that they had been left to suffer and die in poverty after risking their lives to safeguard Nigeria.
The demonstrators, who said they served under the old pension scheme before being “forcibly” moved into the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), accused the Federal Government of betraying their trust and subjecting them to avoidable misery.
One of the protesters, identified as Sgt. Aliu, spoke with visible pain: “We gave our youth to this country, risking our lives to protect lives and property. Today, we are being treated like we never mattered. Some of our colleagues have died waiting for their entitlements. Those of us still alive can barely feed or pay for medical treatment.”
The aggrieved retirees said they could no longer endure the hardship and demanded the total abolition of the CPS for police personnel. They described the current scheme as “a fraudulent system that has reduced gallant officers to beggars,” urging the Federal Government to revert to the former Defined Benefits Scheme that guaranteed steady payments to retirees before the 2004 pension reform.
Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, joined the protest in solidarity, describing the treatment of the retired officers as “an institutionalised injustice.”
“I’m not just fighting for retired policemen; I’m fighting with them,” Sowore declared. “It’s a national disgrace that those who risked their lives for the security of this country are left to die in penury while politicians swim in luxury.”
He lambasted the government for prioritising political comfort over the welfare of citizens who sacrificed their lives for national security.
“The people holding your destinies must understand that Nigerians will not continue to pray while they suffer. One day, the people will stop praying and start acting,” he warned.
Sowore also called for a coalition of retirees across all security and civil services — including the Police, Customs, Immigration, and Civil Defence — to unite and demand justice, describing the CPS as “a systemic robbery against workers.”
“This fight is not only for the police but for every Nigerian worker under the CPS who retires into hardship. The government must be made to listen,” he added.
The protest, which lasted for several hours, caused mild traffic disruption around the National Assembly as security operatives struggled to manage the surging crowd.
Despite their frailty, the retirees vowed to continue their agitation until the government addresses their demands and restores their dignity.
As of press time, neither the Ministry of Police Affairs nor the National Pension Commission (PENCOM) had issued an official response to the retirees’ grievances.
Meanwhile, public sympathy has continued to pour in for the protesting officers, with many Nigerians expressing outrage on social media over what they described as the “humiliation of heroes who once defended the country.”
The police retirees vowed that Thursday’s demonstration was only the beginning, insisting they would not relent until justice is done.
“We have served our fatherland faithfully,” one retiree shouted as the crowd dispersed slowly. “All we ask for is to live with dignity — not to die in hunger after giving 35 years to Nigeria.”
'
'Do you want to share a story with us? Do you want to advertise with us? Do you need publicity for a product, service, or event? Contact us on WhatsApp +2348183319097 Email: platformtimes@gmail.com
We are committed to impactful investigative journalism for human interest and social justice. Your donation will help us tell more stories. Kindly donate any amount HERE
