More than 30,000 retired police officers in Nigeria have demanded that President Bola Tinubu should swiftly assent to the Police Exit Bill, warning that failure to do so before June 22, 2026, will trigger renewed nationwide protests.

The retired officers argued that improved welfare for serving and retired personnel is not merely a labour issue but an essential component of strengthening the country’s internal security architecture.

The legislation, whichh seeks to exempt the Nigeria Police Force from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), was passed by the National Assembly in December 2025 and transmitted to the president in March 2026.

Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday in Akure, the state capital, the national coordinator of the Police Retired Officers Forum of Nigeria (PROF), CSP Raphael Irowainu (Rtd), described the bill as a national security intervention rather than a routine welfare package.

According to Irowainu, the forum’s demands include total withdrawal of the Nigeria Police Force from the Contributory Pension Scheme, migration to a Defined Benefit Pension Scheme, establishment of a Police Pension Board, and payment of all accrued pension rights and arrears owed to retirees.

The group expressed confidence that Tinubu would approve the bill, noting that similar security agencies, including the Armed Forces, the Department of State Services (DSS), the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), already operate outside the CPS framework.

“Our position remains unchanged, unwavering and non-negotiable: total exit from PENCOM and restoration of pension justice for retired police officers.

“This struggle is not about privilege but about justice, equity, fair play and human dignity. The Nigeria Police Force cannot continue to protect the nation while the nation fails to protect them in retirement,” Irowainu stated.

He further argued that the welfare of police personnel directly affects operational effectiveness, morale, discipline and intelligence-gathering capabilities.

Irowainu maintained that officers who are uncertain about their future after retirement cannot be expected to perform optimally while in service, adding that financial security after service encourages integrity during service.

The retired officer further argued that granting the police exemption from the CPS would restore parity with other security and intelligence agencies.

“Granting the Nigeria Police Force similar consideration will restore institutional parity, strengthen inter-agency morale and cooperation, and reinforce the message that Nigeria values those who protect her citizens daily,” he stated.

The forum, whichh also described the President’s decision on the bill as one capable of defining his legacy in the area of security sector reform, recalled Tinubu’s reputation for prioritising police welfare during his tenure as governor of Lagos State and urged him to extend the same commitment at the national level.

“Assenting to this bill will cement your place in history as the President who courageously prioritised national security by securing the future of the nation’s largest internal security institution,” he said. (The Guardian)

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