Retired officers of the Nigeria Police Force on Wednesday staged a protest at the National Assembly complex, with some scaling the gate after security personnel barred them from entering. The retirees, known as the “warrior retirees,” are demanding the swift passage of a bill that would remove police officers from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
A video obtained by SaharaReporters showed the retirees attempting to climb the locked gate as they insisted on meeting Senate President Godswill Akpabio, whom they accused of delaying the legislation. They argued that all requirements for the bill’s passage had already been met.
Public hearings conducted by both the 9th and 10th National Assemblies had strongly supported the proposal, which follows similar exits from the CPS by the military, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).
High Chief Onyeike Chukwuma, a retired Superintendent of Police, told SaharaReporters that police retirees should not be subjected to what he described as a “genocidal” pension system. He said retired officers had risked their lives defending the country and deserved better welfare. He added that even Chile, from where Nigeria adopted the CPS, treats its retired officers with dignity.
Tensions rose as the retirees continued to demand access to the Senate President. One protester accused the Senate of being the only arm yet to act on their demands, noting that the House of Representatives had already responded.
“How do we get in? We won’t leave. Some of our members are already at the main gate,” the retiree said. “We need to see the Senate President. He is the one holding us back; he is the one working against us.”
The protesters vowed to remain at the National Assembly complex until the Senate takes decisive action on the bill. They warned that continued delay amounts to injustice against officers who served the nation under dangerous and strenuous conditions.
