Sign police pension bill or lose our votes, retirees protest, warn Tinubu

Retired police officers have taken their grievances to the Presidential Villa in Abuja, issuing a stark warning to President Bola Tinubu: sign the Police Exit Bill or face the electoral consequences. The protest, which saw retirees and their families blockading a key gate, underscores a deep-seated frustration with the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), which they decry as "fraudulent, illegal, inhumane and obnoxious."

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We are calling on President Bola Tinubu to sign our bill as a matter of urgency. He should know that in Nigeria, we are very serious stakeholders. Retirees are scattered all over Nigeria.

Led by CSP Raphael Irowainu (retd.), the retirees emphasized their significant electoral influence, claiming millions of votes are scattered across all 36 states. Their message is clear: their votes will be used judiciously to determine their future, especially in the context of upcoming elections. The protesters highlighted the sacrifices made during their service, including injuries sustained in the line of duty, and contrasted it with the perceived neglect they face in retirement.

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We will use our votes judiciously and those of our families to determine our future in the coming elections. From Zamfara, Maiduguri to Cross River, we are in thousands among the populace.

This protest, as reported by The Punch, brings to the fore a critical issue affecting a substantial segment of Nigeria's security apparatus. The demand for exemption from the CPS mirrors that of other major security agencies like the military and the DSS, raising questions about fairness and equity within the pension system. The retirees' determination to remain in Abuja until the bill is signed, and their threats to escalate protests to international bodies like the US embassy, signal the gravity of their resolve. The ball is now in President Tinubu's court to address this pressing concern, which directly impacts the welfare of those who have served the nation.

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When in service, they kill us. We who survived and managed to retire, they programme us to die again. Many of us retire with disabilities and sickness. Many of us here have bullets in our bodies in the course of our duty.