Some retired officers of the Nigeria Police Force on Tuesday appealed to President Bola Tinubu to sign the Police Exit Bill into law to improve their welfare after retirement.
The retired officers, under the auspices of the Police Retired Officers Forum of Nigeria, lamented that they had been suffering after retirement due to what they described as meagre pensions and gratuities.
The National Coordinator of the Police Retired Officers Forum, CSP Raphael Irowainu (retd), while addressing journalists in Akure, the Ondo State capital, said the retirees were suffering under the current Contributory Pension Scheme of the force.
According to him, the over 30,000 members of the forum were seeking exemption from the Contributory Pension Scheme, as has been done for their counterparts in other federal security agencies.
He said, “This press conference is conceived passionately to appeal to President Bola Tinubu to graciously give assent to the Police Exit Bill that will ultimately exempt the Nigeria Police Force from the Contributory Pension Scheme.”
Irowainu revealed that the Police Exit Bill was passed by the National Assembly in December 2025 and transmitted to the President for assent, urging him to approve it in the interest of fairness, justice, and national security.
“This bill is not merely a welfare reform; it is a strategic national security investment whose benefits will be felt across every community, state, and sector of the Nigerian Federation.
“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 Nigerian Police Force cannot continue to protect the nation while the nation fails to protect them in retirement.
“This bill is not merely a welfare reform; it is a strategic national security investment whose benefits will be felt across every community, state, and sector of the Nigerian Federation. Officers who are uncertain about their future after retirement cannot be expected to perform optimally while in service.
“A motivated police force performs better in crime prevention and intelligence operations. Financial security after service encourages integrity during service, while officers who trust their future fight harder to secure the nation’s present,” he stated.
Recalling Tinubu’s reputation for prioritising police welfare during his tenure as Lagos State governor, the PROF coordinator 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 retirees insisted that exiting the CPS should be viewed as a long-term investment capable of improving professionalism, reducing corruption, and enhancing public confidence in law enforcement institutions.
“No investment produces more sustainable national stability than one directed at the welfare of those entrusted with safeguarding lives and property,” Irowainu declared.
The group threatened to embark on a nationwide peaceful protest if the bill is not signed into law before June 22, 2026.