“We Get N1.5m After 35 Years of Service” — Retired Police Officers Protest in Ibadan, Demand Exit from PENCOM

Retired officers of the Nigeria Police Force on Tuesday staged a protest at the Oyo State Police Headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan, expressing outrage over what they described as poor pension payments under the Contributory Pension Scheme managed by the National Pension Commission.

The protesters, made up of former senior officers, decried the conditions under which they are currently living, insisting that their retirement benefits do not reflect their years of service to the country. Many of them called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently approve a bill that would remove police personnel from the pension scheme and establish a dedicated pension board for the force.

Speaking during the protest, a retired Superintendent of Police, Joseph Alabi, lamented that many ex-officers have continued to struggle for survival due to what he described as “meagre” monthly pensions. According to him, the issue has lingered for over two years without any meaningful resolution.

“For over two years now, we have been on this issue. Retired Nigerian police officers are suffering,” he said. “As a retired SP, I go home with about N70,000 monthly. Is that meant for feeding or taking care of my family?”

Alabi also criticised the continued inclusion of police personnel in the contributory pension scheme, pointing out that other security agencies had already been exempted from the system. He described the situation as unfair and discriminatory.

“The Air Force, Navy, military and other agencies have been removed from this scheme, but the police are still there. That is not just,” he added.

He explained that the core demand of the retirees is for the President to assent to a bill already passed by the National Assembly, which would enable police officers to exit the scheme and operate under a separate pension structure tailored to their needs.

Another protester, retired Deputy Superintendent of Police, Saludeen Omotayo, who served for 35 years, expressed deep frustration over the lump sum he received upon retirement. According to him, the amount was grossly inadequate and did not reflect his decades of service.

“How can someone serve for 35 years and be given about N1.5 million or N2 million? We are not being paid well. We are suffering,” he said.

Omotayo appealed to Nigerians to support their cause, stressing that many retired officers are currently battling severe financial hardship and are unable to meet basic living expenses.

“We are hungry. We are dying. Nigerians should help us appeal to the government,” he added.

Also lending his voice to the protest, a retired electrical engineer, Babatunde Oluwatoye, described the situation as alarming and called on the Federal Government to intervene without delay. He noted that the welfare of retired officers has broader implications for national security.

“I never believed this was happening until I heard directly from a retired police officer. After 35 years, you give someone less than N2 million—what can that realistically do?” he said.

Oluwatoye warned that poor treatment of retired officers could negatively impact the morale of those still in active service, potentially affecting their effectiveness on duty.

“If serving officers see how retirees are treated, it discourages them. Proper welfare is key to effective policing,” he added.

The protest in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, mirrors similar demonstrations held in other parts of the country, including Abuja, as retired police officers continue to intensify pressure for reforms in the pension system.

The protesters vowed to sustain their agitation until their demands are met, insisting that their years of service to the nation deserve dignity, fairness, and a more humane retirement structure.