The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has raised concerns over the plight of retired officers under the Contributory Pension Scheme, saying many live in humiliating conditions.
He said the hardship has instilled fear and anxiety among serving officers, weakening morale across the ranks.
He stated this during a meeting with senior police officers in Abuja.
On July 21, 2025, retired police officers protested in Abuja, lamenting their poor treatment and humiliating pension payments.
During the protest, they demanded to be removed from the Contributory Pension Scheme, which they claimed had been shortchanging them.
Egbetokun, speaking in Abuja on Tuesday, said the living conditions of retired officers were unacceptable, given the sacrifices they made in service.
“Today, most retired officers of the Nigerian Police Force live in conditions that are not only unacceptable, but humiliating, given the sacrifices they made in service to the nation.
“Their monthly pension under the CPS is maximally low and roughly inadequate to meet even the most basic needs. Many can no longer afford health care, housing, or a life of dignity,” Egbetokun said.
He added, “One area I remain deeply committed to is the welfare of our retired officers under the Contributory Pensions Scheme. Their post-service condition is heartbreaking and morally unacceptable.
“This has turned retirement into a period of hardship and regret, eroding the confidence of serving officers, who now see their future with fear rather than hope.”
Egbetokun said the poor state of retirees was affecting the morale of serving officers.
“Among serving officers, there exists a growing and deep-rooted anxiety, born from the belief, rightly or wrongly, that retirement is a descent into hardship.
“This fear has become so pervasive that it is having a noticeable demoralising effect on morale across ranks,” he said.
He added that while the police leadership supported exiting the scheme, decisions must be guided by “prudence and strategy” to avoid future pitfalls.
