Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Tinubu of abandoning retired police officers to what he described as a broken pension system, pledging to overhaul their retirement benefits if elected president in 2027.
Atiku said it was unacceptable that officers who risked their lives to protect Nigerians were now compelled to stage protests at the National Pension Commission to demand better retirement benefits.
In a statement issued on Monday by the Director of Strategic Communication of the African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council, Mr Phrank Shaibu, Atiku described the treatment of retired police personnel as a failure by the Tinubu administration to recognise their sacrifices in the service of the country.
He argued that a government capable of deploying police officers to protect public officials should also be able to guarantee their welfare after retirement.
Atiku said the situation raised serious questions about the government’s commitment to addressing insecurity, noting that the welfare of security personnel should remain an integral part of national security policy.
“If police officers who served this country must endure humiliation to demand a fair pension, what hope is there for other Nigerians who have spent their working lives in public service?” he asked.
The ADC presidential candidate said he was disturbed by the retirees’ protests and had directed members of his team to meet with them to hear their grievances firsthand.
He also faulted Tinubu for failing to act on the Police Exit Bill, which, according to the statement, has been awaiting presidential assent since March.
The legislation seeks to remove the Nigeria Police Force from the Contributory Pension Scheme, an arrangement that retired police officers have repeatedly criticised over what they describe as inadequate retirement benefits and financial hardship.
Atiku condemned what he called the government’s use-and-discard approach to police personnel, arguing that officers who spent their productive years protecting lives and property, including those of political office holders, should not be left to struggle after leaving service.
To address the concerns, he said his proposed Police Dignity Guarantee Plan would place the welfare and retirement security of law enforcement personnel at the centre of his strategy for tackling insecurity.
The plan includes prompt action on the Police Exit Bill, restoration of gratuity for police officers and improved retirement benefits.
He also pledged to implement the Police Pension Board Bill within 30 days of assuming office if elected president.
“Insecurity cannot be defeated while those who protect the country are denied security in retirement. My Police Dignity Guarantee Plan will ensure that officers who serve Nigeria are properly supported throughout their careers and are not abandoned when they retire,” Atiku said.
He added that his administration would seek to restore dignity to retired officers and address the financial difficulties confronting them.
The agitation by retired police officers over the Contributory Pension Scheme has continued for several months, with demonstrations and repeated appeals to the Federal Government for intervention.
The Police Retired Officers Forum of Nigeria has been at the forefront of the campaign, demanding the removal of the Nigeria Police Force from the scheme and the establishment of a dedicated pension arrangement for its personnel.
The retirees have argued that the existing arrangement has left many former officers struggling to meet basic needs, including healthcare and other essential expenses.
The National Assembly passed the Police Exit Bill on December 4, 2025, and transmitted it to the Presidency on March 16, 2026, for presidential assent.
Retired officers have since staged protests, including a demonstration at the Presidential Villa in Abuja in April, to press for the President’s approval of the legislation.
The Ministry of Police Affairs, however, said in October that the Federal Government was engaging relevant stakeholders on the pension concerns, including the proposed transition from the Contributory Pension Scheme to a Defined Benefit Scheme.
Atiku’s intervention comes as the welfare of security personnel and the management of the country’s pension system feature increasingly in discussions about national security and public-sector reform ahead of the 2027 general election.
