09/05/2026
*UPDATE ON THE NATIONAL PEACEFUL PROTEST CODE NAMED "NO RETREAT; NO SURRENDER" IN REGARD TO OUR ENGAGEMENT WITH HIS EXCELLENCY, SEN. IBRAHIM GAIDAM, THE HON. MINISTER OF POLICE AFFAIRS AT THE MINISTRY'S CONFERENCE HALL ON THURSDAY 7TH MAY, 2026; 08/05/2026 :*
Good morning Distinguished Senior Citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
In this our epoch battle for survival and relevancy in the world of Security Agencies in particular and the Nigeria Polity as a whole, I salute your unwavering commitment, courage, Resilience, and the undiluted dedication to THIS PATRIOTIC STRUGGLE AND AGITATION. AND BY THE SPECIAL GRACE OF GOD, OUR SERVICE TO THE NATION IN PAIN AND SUFFERING FOR 35 YEARS, SHALL NEVER BE IN VAIN. WE SHALL REAP THE FRUITS OF OUR LABOUR - AMEN.
In continuation and the SUSTAINANCE of our National Peaceful Protest in order to continue to appeal and to prevail on Mr. President to give Assent to the Police Exit Bill passed on 4th December, 2026 that is currently on his table, our train moved to the Ministry of Police Affairs at Federal Secretariat, Abuja under the Leadership of His Excellency, Sen. Ibrahim Gaidam on Thursday 7th May, 2026 at about 0900hrs.
However, while addressing our people in preparation for the commencement of the Peaceful Protest, the CSO to the Hon. Minister came to inform us that the Hon. Minister has concluded arrangement to have Meeting with us at the Ministry's Conference Room in line with the directives from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR in order to find lasting solution to the portracted Police Pension imbroglio. Consequently, after due consultation among ourselves, it was resolved that I should nominate 20 Police Retirees that will attend the Meeting alongside with me.
In connection with this, I nominated CSP Mannir M. Lawal Rtd from Kaduna, DSP Iliyasu Aliyu Rtd from Nasarawa, CSP Bolawole Boluwaji Rtd from Ondo,SP Irukaeze Oregbu from Abuja, SP Marafa Manufrom Abuja, ASP Elnathan D. Jared from Abuja, ASP Greg Amayo Rtd from Delta, ASP Benjamin S. Dele from Oyo, DSP Ajah Uyagali from Abuja, ASP Shehu Ismail Rtd from Kastina, ASP Yusuf Musa Rtd from Niger and ten others from various States of the Federation.
The Meeting was presided over by Dr. Ogbonnaya Anuma N, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry whom the Hon. Minister has delegated to represent him because he was on another unavoidable National Assignment.
The P S welcome us to the Meeting and stated that Mr. President ordered the Hon.Minister to intervene in the Police Pension crisis and ensure its permanent resolution this time around.
He then called on me as the National Coordinator to address the House on our grievances and demands. In my address, I thanked Mr. President for his intervention through the Hon. Minister even though its coming almost a month since we started THE NATIONAL PEACEFUL PROTEST CODE NAMED "NO RETREAT; NO SURRENDER" on Monday 13th April, 2026.
Thereafter, I went down the memory lane since the Agitation and the struggle for TOTAL EXIT OF THE NIGERIA POLICE FROM INHUMANE, EXPLOITATIVE AND SLAVERY CONTRIBUTORY PENSION SCHEME (CPS) STARTED ABOUT SIXTEEN YEARS AGO AND HOW SUCCESSIVE GOVERNMENTS HAVE BEEN TREATING OUR DEMANDS WITH NON-CHARLANTAN ATTITUDE AND WITH RECKLESS ABANDON.
Furthermore, I told the PS that this Pension Scheme has subjected the Police Retirees under it to untold hardship and dehumanization.
Furthermore, the Pension Scheme has led to the untimely death of many of the Police Retirees after 35 years of meritorious Service to the Nation in PAIN AND SUFFERING.
I added that because of this unfortunate situation that Police Retirees are subjected to, the serving members have been demoralized; thus corruption and unprofessional conducts have become the order of the day.
This negative development has invariably led to unprecedented insecurity in the Nation.
Finally, I told the PS that what the Retirees want is Presidential Assent to Police Exit Bill on his table that will leads to the total exit of the Police from the CPS and not any form of Reform from DG Pencom/FG that has no legal or constitution backing. CSP Mannir M. Lawal, CSP Bolawole Boluwaji Rtd, ASP Amayo Greg, DSP Ajah Uyagali Rtd, ASP Dogo Dalami Rtd, DSP Christy Kaun and other Retirees in the Meeting spoke in the same vein and corroborated my position and submission in its entirety.
We all echoed before the Hon. Minister through his PS that "WHAT WE WANT IS TOTAL EXIT FROM THE CPS AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF POLICE PENSION BOARD".
In his response, the PS said that the Hon. Minister sympathized with us in this unfortunate situation we have found ourselves and that, he is going to do everything humanly and administratively possible to solve this problem once and for all.
He then asked me whether we have a copy of the Police Exit Bill passed by the National Assembly and which I answered in affirmative, yes. I then gave him the Copy of the Bill that I have in my possession.
Subsequently, he told us that they are going to put up a strong memo to Mr. President demanding for Police Exit from the CPS.
He subsequently appealed to us to suspend our Peaceful Protest as he is assuring us that the Government will do the needful this time around. He stated further that we should refrain from any action that will embarrass or put the Federal Government in bad light most especially now that we are in election year.
Finally, he seek for our assistance to avail him the total numbers of Police Retirees that we are currently having in the country.
According to him, this will help them to pursue our case to a logical conclusion with Mr. President with a verifiable data.
In order to put the record straight, the Hon. Minister never demanded for our nominal roll as its currently being speculated by some of our so called Representatives for their selfish agenda. Equally, there is no directives either from us or the Hon. Minister to States Leadership of Police Retirees Forum/Association to compile nominal and forwarded to CP Commands. Those behind this fabricated information are Pencom Agents. So, it should be completely disregarded.
Even though the Ministry is in vantage position to get this vital information from either the Pencom Office or at the Force Headquarters, nevertheless, I promised on behalf of the Retirees to supply him the information latest on Tuesday 12th May, 2026.
However, from the information we got from Google as at 08/05/2026, the total numbers of Police Retirees in Nigeria is put at 44,300. We will go to the relevant offices at Force Headquarters and other Govt Agencies to get the estimate or the accurate figure. In my response to the PS, I told him that I will convey his message (most especially his request for the suspension of the Protest) during the Hon. Minister intervention and that whatever is their resolution on the Request will be communicated to the Hon. Minister accordingly. ASP Dogo Dalami thanked the Hon. Minister for the opportunity given to us through the engagement on this Pension debacle with a view to find permanent solution to it.
Immediately after our Meeting with the Hon. Minister, we converged at our usual venue at the Federal Secretariat where I briefed them of the outcome of our engagement with the Hon. Minister and called for its deliberation.
At the end of our deliberation, we unanimously resolved as follows:
(1) That we will continue to carry out our National Protest Peacefully, diplomatically and legally until Mr. President give Assent to the Police Exit Bill.
(2) That the total Exit of Nigeria Police Force from the obnoxious and slavery Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) is not negotiable.
(3) That the Street Protest will be stood down for a period of two weeks with effect from Monday 11th May, 2026 to Monday 25th May, 2026 (4) That both the State and the National Leadership of the Retirees Associations will remain in Abuja while others are directed to leave for their respective States and wait for further directives, please (5) That these Resolutions should be communicated to the Hon. Minister of Police Affairs for his information and necessary actions, please.
God bless Police Retirees;
God bless The Nigeria Police Force;
God bless Federal Republic of Nigeria.
- - CSP Raphael I. Irowainu Rtd, National Coordinator, Police Retired Officers Forum of Nigeria (PROF),
