The National Union of Police Retirees, Kaduna State Branch, has announced plans for a large-scale protest at the National Assembly, demanding that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu sign the Pension Exit Bill.
The protest is set to continue until the president addresses their concerns regarding the bill that would exempt the Nigeria Police from the Contributory Pension Scheme and establish the Nigeria Police Pension Board.
In a statement signed by CSP Mannir Lawal Zaria (Rtd), the Chairman of the Police Retirees, Kaduna State Chapter, and Vice Chairman ASP Danlami Maigamo (Rtd), retirees expressed frustration as the month of September comes to an end without the fulfillment of promises made regarding their pension scheme.
CSP Zaria lamented that police retirees under the current Contributory Pension Scheme are suffering due to poverty and rising costs of living, leading to increased death rates among the retirees. He urged the federal government to intervene by paying long-overdue allowances, including the 2.5% differential, the federal government palliative, and consecutive pension increases, along with the adjustment for the minimum wage.
During a recent meeting at the Police Officers Mess in Kaduna, union members expressed shock and worry over signs that promises made by government officials might not be fulfilled. They recalled a nationwide peaceful protest on September 22, 2024, during which the Chairman of the Senate Committee for Police Affairs, Senator Ahmed Abdulkadir Malamadori, assured retirees that the bills would be harmonized and passed before the end of September.
With tensions rising, the union has vowed to escalate the situation if their demands are not met, with plans for continuous protests until the Nigeria Police is exempted from the Contributory Pension Scheme.
