When those who have served are forced to protest, by Okechukwu Nwanguma – THISAGE

It is a profound indictment of governance when those who have dedicated their lives to protecting citizens are forced, in retirement, to take to the streets to protest. The planned nationwide action by retired officers of the Nigeria Police Force under the Police Retired Officers Forum (PROF) is not just another demonstration – it is a cry for justice from the men and women who once bore the burden of national security.

At the heart of their protest is President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s continued delay in assenting to the bill passed by the National Assembly calling for the exit of police personnel from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS). Despite constant agitation, repeated calls and even warnings of industrial action, the government remained unresponsive.

This silence is worrying.

Retired police officers don’t ask for privileges; they ask for fairness. The peculiar nature of policing – characterized by dangerous tasks, uneven career progression and limited opportunities for supplementary income – makes their well-being after service a matter of moral and national obligation. Subjecting them to a pension scheme they widely perceive as inadequate, while ignoring legislative efforts to address their concerns, reflects a worrying disconnect between policy and lived reality.

What makes this situation even more disturbing is the broader context. This is a government that has demonstrated the ability to act quickly when political interests are at stake, but appears lethargic when faced with issues that concern the well-being of those who have served the nation with loyalty and sacrifice. This selective urgency fuels the perception of an administration that is more attentive to partisan priorities than to the legitimate needs of its citizens.

The planned protest, with its resolute theme – “No retreat, no surrender until our demands are met” – should not be dismissed as mere agitation. It’s the culmination of years of frustration, abandonment and shattered expectations. The fact that retired officers must now mobilize funds, organize delegations and prepare for a peaceful protest underlines how much the system has failed them.

Beyond the immediate issue of pension reform, this development has broader implications for policing and national security. Morale within the serving ranks is inevitably affected when officers see how their predecessors are treated after retirement. A system that neglects its veterans sends a dangerous message to those still serving: Their sacrifices may ultimately be ignored.

No serious security reform can succeed on such a basis.

The government must recognize that looking after the welfare of retired police officers is not an act of charity; it is a strategic investment in institutional integrity and national stability. Passage of the bill would not only solve a long-standing problem, but also signal a commitment to justice, fairness and respect for the service.

The alternative – continued delay and indifference – risks deepening discontent, eroding trust and normalizing a culture in which even those who enforce the law must resort to protest to be heard.

Nigeria can and must do better.

When those who once defended the nation are forced to stand against it in protest, the problem is no longer theirs, but ours.

Post views:
75