Echoes From The Barracks: Retired Police Set For ‘Mother Of All Protests’

Mounting dissatisfaction among retired police personnel over unresolved pension challenges has reached a tipping point, prompting them to announce on Friday, June 27, 2025, a nationwide protest scheduled for July 21, 2025.

Branded as the “Mother of All Peaceful Protests,” local media say the planned demonstration is being organized by retired officers under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).

They say they have endured years of hardship and neglect under the current pension system.

In a statement released by the Kaduna State chapter of the Union of Retired Police Officers, the group voiced their growing dismay.

It also restated their unwavering demand for the Nigeria Police Force to be removed from the CPS.

The statement was jointly signed by Retired Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Mannir M. Lawal Zaria, the chapter’s Chairman, and Retired Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Danlami Maigamo, the Vice Chairman.

It followed their monthly meeting held at the Police Officers’ Mess in Kaduna.

According to the union, the CPS has imposed severe financial distress on retired officers.

This has reportedly left many to grapple with economic insecurity, public embarrassment, and a disturbing increase in mental health issues and mortality among their ranks.

The retirees argue that their service to the nation deserves a dignified retirement—one that the current scheme has woefully failed to provide.

“We have reached a point where silence is no longer an option,” the union declared.

“Our planned protest on July 21 will be peaceful but resolute. It will take place simultaneously across all 36 states of the federation.”

Emphasizing their commitment to law and order, the group clarified that the protest would be nonviolent.

It said the protest is aimed at drawing attention to their plight and pressing home their demand for a more humane and sustainable pension structure.

“As retired officers, we are bound by discipline and the rule of law.

We will continue to pursue our demands through peaceful and lawful means until the government listens,” the statement added.

The retirees recalled an earlier protest staged between February 24 and March 3, 2025, during which members from the Kaduna and Bauchi State chapters demonstrated at the National Assembly.

During that protest, petitions were submitted to key offices, including the heads of relevant Senate and House committees as well as the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS).

Despite these efforts, the group lamented that no tangible response has been received from the legislative body.

Particularly frustrating, they noted, was the lack of follow-up communication or action regarding the outcome of a public hearing held on November 19, 2024, on the proposed Police Pension Board Bill.

The bill, if passed, would establish a dedicated pension body exclusively for police personnel, independent of the broader CPS framework.

“The silence from the authorities is deafening,” the union remarked.

“Yet, we remain steadfast in our resolve and continue to engage through every legal and democratic channel available.”

The retirees also made it clear that they have no affiliation with any individuals or groups that may be planning violent demonstrations.

Their advocacy, they stressed, is rooted in justice, equity, and the desire to restore dignity to retired officers who have spent their lives protecting the nation.

They insist that the only lasting and fair solution is the creation of an independent Police Pension Board, separate from the current contributory scheme.

Such a board, they argue, would ensure that police retirees receive the care, attention, and financial security they rightfully deserve.

As the July 21 protest approaches, the Union of Retired Police Officers is calling on all stakeholders, government officials, lawmakers, civil society, and the public, to pay attention to their concerns and support their call for reform.

After decades of loyal service, these former officers are simply asking for what they believe is their due: a retirement marked by dignity, not destitution.

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