Retired officers of the Nigeria Police Force under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) have called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently sign into law the bill seeking the withdrawal of the police from the scheme and the establishment of a dedicated Nigeria Police Pension Board.

The appeal was made by the Nigerian Union of Retired Police Officers under the CPS through the Chairman of its Kaduna State chapter, retired Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Mannir M. Lawal, in a press statement issued to journalists in Kaduna.

Lawal explained that the appeal represents the collective position of the union’s branches across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, with retired Superintendent of Police (SP) Chris Effiong serving as the National Coordinator.

He noted that the request followed the recent transmission of the bill by the 10th National Assembly to the President for presidential assent.

According to him, the union held an emergency meeting on March 2, 2026, at the Police Officers’ Mess in Kaduna, where members discussed the difficulties faced by retired police officers currently operating under the Contributory Pension Scheme and resolved to urge the President to expedite the signing of the bill.

Lawal stated that during the meeting, members reviewed the implementation of the CPS since its introduction in 2004 and its amendment in 2014, expressing serious concern over the hardship many retired officers have experienced under the system.

He pointed out that many officers were already close to retirement when the scheme was introduced, having served between 18 and 24 years or more, which made the transition particularly challenging for them.

The retirees lamented that many of their members now struggle to meet basic needs such as paying school fees for their children, providing adequate food for their families, and accessing proper medical care.

They also raised alarm that several retired officers are battling severe health conditions but lack the financial resources to seek treatment, while noting an increase in deaths among retirees due to poverty and insufficient welfare support.

The union further expressed concerns over the recent ₦758 billion pension disbursement approved by the Federal Government, which it said has generated multiple complaints among retirees.

Among the issues raised were allegations of selective payments, where some retirees received funds while others were excluded, as well as disparities in payments among officers of the same rank who retired at the same time.

They also alleged cases where junior officers received higher payments than their senior counterparts.

Other concerns included payments sent to the wrong Pension Fund Administrators, lack of transparency in the payment structure used, and cases where retirees who had submitted required documents — including Gen. 60 forms, bank statements and National Identification Numbers (NIN) — were yet to receive their entitlements.

The retirees further noted that issues concerning gratuity and the 2022 pension increment were not addressed, while the ₦32,000 consequential adjustment reportedly stopped in December 2025.

The union maintained that signing the bill into law would restore hope and dignity to retired police officers while improving the welfare of personnel in the Nigeria Police Force.

They added that such a move would also boost the morale of serving officers, allowing them to carry out their duties without fear of neglect after retirement.

The union therefore appealed to President Tinubu to give urgent assent to the bill in order to resolve the challenges currently facing retired police officers under the Contributory Pension Scheme.