A group of retired police officers staged a protest near the entrance of the Presidential Villa in Abuja as reported by Channels Television from 1:26 on Monday , April 20, 2026, demanding changes to the contributory pension scheme and improved welfare for former members of the Nigeria Police Force.
The demonstrators, many of whom said they had served the country for decades before retirement, gathered to express dissatisfaction with their current pension arrangements. The protest drew attention to long-standing concerns among retired officers regarding the contributory pension system and its impact on their livelihood after service.
Among the protesters was retired Assistant Superintendent of Police, Nuruddeen Dahiru, who spoke with Channels Television about the reasons behind the demonstration.
Addressing reporters during the protest, Dahiru said the gathering was not intended to confront anyone but to demand what he described as the rights of retired officers. “We are not begging anybody. We have come to fight for our rights,” he said.
He further stated that the protesters had served the nation for many years and expected to receive adequate benefits after retirement. “We have suffered. We are not here to fight anybody. We are just here to demand for our rights. We have served for it 35 years,” Dahiru said.
According to him, the situation faced by retired officers contradicts what they believe should be the standard after decades of service to the country. “According to the constitution of the country, when you serve your country for 35 years, you should go home and rest. But see us suffering now,” he said.
Dahiru also described the economic difficulties some retirees said they were facing, including challenges meeting basic needs. “We cannot be able to take them to our children. We have no food to eat. We are dying. Silent killing,” he stated.
The retired officer further criticized the contributory pension scheme currently applied to police retirees. “So this contributory pension scheme is a killer disease,” Dahiru said. Read_More…