The National Assembly complex in Abuja was paralyzed on Thursday as a large contingent of retired police personnel escalated their long-running protest, completely barricading all entrances and exits. The former law enforcement agents are demanding an immediate overhaul of their welfare conditions and a complete withdrawal from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), which they vehemently denounce as fraudulent and exploitative.

The aggrieved veterans, mobilized in significant numbers, effectively enforced a lockdown, asserting that no legislator or civil servant would be permitted entry until Senate President Godswill Akpabio personally addresses their deeply felt injustices.

Visibly angry and resolute, the former officers filled the air with solidarity chants as they erected obstructions at every access point to the country’s legislative seat of power.

Their core grievance stems from what they term years of neglect, injustice, and dismal welfare by the Nigerian government. They specifically cite the government’s failure to disburse their pensions and gratuities and the abandonment of families whose breadwinners died in service.

The demonstration followed a similar action on Tuesday, where wives of the retired officers joined the picket line, sharing harrowing accounts of severe hardship and humiliation.

The women’s testimony painted a grim picture of their plight, accusing authorities of ignoring their husbands’ decades of faithful national service, often performed without adequate protective gear or insurance.

The wives issued a powerful plea to the National Assembly: “Remove retired policemen from the pension scheme with immediate effect. Our children are suffering,” signaling their readiness to stay put until justice is secured.

Thursday’s dramatic shutdown marks the latest in a series of demonstrations by the retirees insisting on their immediate removal from the CPS. They have repeatedly labeled the current scheme a “419 arrangement”—a Nigerian term for fraud—that has pushed many ex-officers into poverty.

CSP Rafael (Retired), National Coordinator of the Retired Police Officers’ Association, confirmed the group’s unwavering position. The protest, initially planned for late September but postponed due to the lawmakers’ recess, has now been reinstated with full force.

“Our demand is total exit from this wicked scheme,” he emphasized, characterizing the pension system as “a deliberate act of wickedness against men and women who risked their lives for national security.”

Rafael revealed shockingly low benefits, citing that an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) may receive only ₦3 million after 35 years of service, with some officers getting as little as ₦1.5 million. “What a calamity! This is a government-orchestrated plan to keep us in poverty,” he fumed.

The protesters also issued a stern warning about the potential consequences for national security. They argue that the current neglect serves as a deterrent to serving personnel.

“If you fail to pay us well, those still serving will be worse,” a demonstrator cautioned, implying that poor welfare for retirees could exacerbate corruption within the active force.

The ex-officers allege that officials and Pension Fund Administrators have deliberately kept the police tethered to the “fraudulent” CPS, while other key security agencies—including the military, Department of State Services (DSS), and National Intelligence Agency (NIA)—benefit from distinct, more financially rewarding pension systems.

“We are the largest security agency in Africa with over 350,000 personnel, yet we are treated like beggars,” said Rafael, urging President Bola Tinubu to act swiftly and decisively to remove the police from the scheme. He stressed that the protest is a non-political fight for survival.