Retired Police Officers in Abuja Reject Refreshments During Protest, Demand Urgent Pension Reform
Retired Nigerian police officers staging a protest in Abuja on Monday flatly rejected refreshments offered by authorities, insisting that they need pension reforms, not palliatives.
The demonstrators, many of whom have spent decades in service, expressed their frustration over unpaid entitlements and the meagre pensions they’ve been offered.
Bottled water and assorted drinks were brought to the protest site in what appeared to be an attempt to pacify the aggrieved officers. However, the retirees turned down the offer, chanting repeatedly, “We do not want! We do not want!”
“We are not here to beg for water or drinks,” one retired officer said. “We want justice for the years we gave to this country. This is not a matter of snacks it is about survival.”
Another protester echoed similar sentiments: “Our years of service must not be reduced to handouts. We served with our lives we want to be treated with dignity.”
Their grievances stem from what they describe as appalling post-retirement benefits. One retired officer, ASP Shuaibu, revealed that after 35 years of service, he was offered only ₦1.6 million as a retirement package an amount he outrightly rejected.
“What would I do with ₦1.6 million after giving my life to the Nigerian police? It’s an insult,” he said. Shuaibu noted he retired 12 years ago and has since struggled to live a dignified life.
Another retired officer, SP Agadasu, disclosed that he received ₦1.7 million after his retirement in March 2016. “I regret giving my whole life to the service. No one warned us this was how we’d be treated. Now many of our colleagues are dead, sick, or too poor to even make it to this protest.”
He also shared how the experience has dissuaded his own son from considering a career in the police. “My son witnessed my struggle and decided never to join. He said he wouldn’t suffer the same fate.”
The protesters are demanding urgent intervention from the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, whom they insist must personally address their concerns. As of the time of filing this report, the IGP had not made any public statement or appearance at the protest site.
