Tension in Abuja: IGP Intervenes as Retired Officers Storm Police HQ Over Pension Crisis

The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, on Tuesday held a decisive meeting with retired police officers who have taken to the streets in protest of the controversial Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS). The gathering took place at the Peacekeeping Hall of the Force Headquarters in Abuja shortly after the protesting officers had marched under heavy rain to the National Assembly, brandishing placards and chanting anti-government slogans to demand that the Nigeria Police be withdrawn from the CPS.

According to IREPORTER ONLINE, the aggrieved officers—many of them elderly—subsequently shifted their protest to the gates of the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters, where they blocked access and demanded urgent intervention from the government to address what they described as unjust retirement policies.

During the engagement, IGP Egbetokun acknowledged the legitimacy of their grievances and sympathized with the emotional and financial strain they face. He assured the protesters that their welfare is a matter of serious concern for the Force’s leadership. However, the Inspector-General emphasized that exiting the Contributory Pension Scheme is a complex issue requiring legislative backing and cannot be effected by executive order or administrative fiat.

In his remarks, Egbetokun also cautioned against the spread of misinformation and warned protest leaders to desist from promoting narratives that could mislead the public or generate unrest within the police community. ACCORDING TO IREPORTER ONLINE, he stressed the importance of preserving the integrity of the demonstration and avoiding the influence of external elements attempting to hijack the protest for ulterior motives.

This follows earlier warnings by the Nigeria Police Force that some individuals were seeking to exploit the protest for personal or political gain. ACCORDING TO IREPORTER ONLINE, the Force had raised the alarm that the peaceful demonstration risked being derailed by those intent on sowing confusion and further complicating an already delicate situation.

As tension lingers and the demand for pension reform intensifies, the retired officers have vowed not to relent until concrete action is taken. The government, on its part, is now under increasing pressure to review the structure of retirement benefits for security personnel, a subject that continues to stir national attention.