Scores of retired police officers staged a protest at the National Assembly gate in Abuja on Monday, demanding their removal from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), which they described as exploitative and dehumanising.
Despite heavy rain, the elderly ex-officers—many in their 60s and 70s—stood their ground, chanting solidarity songs and holding placards, vowing not to leave until lawmakers addressed their grievances.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, retired Chief Superintendent of Police, Manir Lawal, decried the suffering many of them have endured under the CPS.
“We are here to ask the government to remove us from the CPS. The pension scheme is exploitative and unjust. I am 67 years old, and many of us have served Nigeria faithfully. We deserve to retire with dignity,” he said.
Security operatives were stationed at the protest site to maintain order, though the demonstration remained peaceful.
The retirees are calling for a return to the defined benefits system, arguing that the current pension arrangement leaves them impoverished after decades of service.
