Standing outside a government building, a retired police officer reads from a sheet of paper and speaks into the camera, lamenting the pension and gratuity he received after his years of service.
Retired police officers have spent the past year protesting against their payouts under the Contributory Pension Scheme. In April 2026 they blocked a gate of the Presidential Villa, and in July 2026 they were back on the streets of Abuja. The National Assembly has passed a bill to take the police out of the scheme. It was sent to the President in March 2026, and retirees are still demanding his assent.
What broke, and what would fix it
What broke
Pay and pensions shape behaviour. An officer who expects poverty in retirement has every incentive to collect what he can while still in uniform. That is why AWO-001's roadside stops and this pension complaint are part of the same story. Police welfare is a core input to police integrity.
Why hasn't the Police Pension Exit Bill been signed, and what does the average retired officer receive?
