Retired police officers under the aegis of the Police Retired Officers Forum, Ogun State chapter, Tuesday staged a peaceful protest in Abeokuta, urging President Bola Tinubu to assent to the bill seeking to exempt police personnel from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).

The protesters said the proposed legislation, which has been passed by the National Assembly and transmitted to the President for assent, would pave the way for the establishment of a Police Pension Board to manage the pensions of retired police personnel.

They marched through parts of Abeokuta, carrying placards with inscriptions including, “Governor Dapo Abiodun, help us beg President Tinubu to exit us, please,” and “On total exit of the Nigeria Police Force from Contributory Pension Scheme and establishment of Police Pension Board, we stand.”

Speaking during the protest, the assistant coordinator of the forum in Ogun State, Oyekunle Oyetola, said the demonstration was part of the retirees’ sustained campaign for the Federal Government to remove the Nigeria Police Force from the CPS.

Oyetola lamented the impact of rising inflation and the increasing cost of food and healthcare on retired police officers, saying many retirees were struggling to meet their basic needs.

He said the financial difficulties had made it challenging for some retirees to afford adequate medical care, which he claimed had contributed to deaths among members of the group.

Oyetola questioned why the police had not been exempted from the CPS despite repeated protests by retired police officers.

He also argued that the police should be treated in the same manner as some other security agencies that have been excluded from the contributory pension arrangement.

According to him, the proposed Police Pension Board would provide a dedicated structure for managing the pensions and welfare of retired police personnel.

He urged Tinubu to assent to the bill, saying doing so would address some of the welfare concerns of serving and retired police officers and restore confidence in the pension system.

“We are using this protest to mark one year of our agitation. Since the National Assembly passed the bill, President Bola Tinubu is yet to assent to it.

“We are begging the President to sign the bill, remove us from PenCom and establish a Police Pension Board to take care of our pensions,” he said.

Oyetola added: “We want to exit the Contributory Pension Scheme because we believe it does not favour retired police officers, from senior officers down to constables.

“Our members are dying because they do not have enough money to feed themselves and take care of their medical bills.”

Nigerian public servants under the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) have reaffirmed plans to embark on a three-day warning strike from October 2 if the Federal Government fails to address their demands over the rising cost of petrol, wage award and negotiations for a new national minimum wage.

The council, comprising eight public sector unions, gave the Federal Government until September 30 to reduce the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to ₦500 per litre, approve a wage award and begin negotiations for a new national minimum wage of not less than ₦500,000 from 2027.

The JNPSNC said it had mobilised public servants nationwide for the warning strike if the Federal Government failed to address the issues raised in its letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The council had, on September 21, written to Tinubu demanding a reduction in petrol prices, an immediate wage award and the commencement of negotiations for a new national minimum wage, among other measures.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by the National Secretary of the JNPSNC and General Secretary of the Nigeria Civil Service Union, Gbenga Olowoyo, the council said its September 30 deadline remained sacrosanct.

Olowoyo said the concerns of Nigerian workers could no longer be ignored, warning that failure to address the issues would lead to the commencement of the three-day warning strike from Friday, October 2.

He said, “The three critical issues requiring urgent attention are as follows: reduction of fuel price to ₦500 per litre. The Federal Government should take urgent steps to bring down the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to ₦500 per litre.

“This can be achieved through the provision of an intervention fund to address landing costs and support oil and gas operators.

“It is equally important for the Federal Government to ensure the sale of crude oil to the Dangote Refinery and operators of modular refineries at appropriate terms to facilitate increased domestic refining and help bring down the price of petroleum products.

“The current price of PMS, ranging from ₦1,450 to ₦2,000 and, in some locations outside major communities and cities, as high as ₦2,500 per litre, is unacceptable to Nigerian workers.”

“The council said the high cost of petrol had placed severe pressure on workers, their dependants and the wider population.

“The council maintains that the economic hardship occasioned by the high cost of fuel is placing the survival of Nigerian workers, their dependants and the general populace under severe pressure, making it increasingly difficult for Nigerians to live normal and dignified lives.

On the demand for a wage award, the council said, “The Federal Government should urgently approve a wage award for Nigerian workers to cushion the effects of the prevailing harsh economic conditions being experienced by workers, their dependants, and vulnerable Nigerians.”

It added that such intervention would support public servants to remain productive despite the economic pressures.

“The council believes that urgent action on this demand will further enable public servants to consolidate their loyalty, commitment and productivity within the public service ecosystem,” it said.

The workers also called on the Federal Government to urgently constitute a tripartite committee to begin negotiations for a new national minimum wage ahead of 2027.

“The Federal Government should urgently establish a tripartite committee to commence and facilitate negotiations for the new national minimum wage expected to become due in 2027,” the council said.

“The Nigerian workers’ demand for the immediate constitution of the committee is informed by the need to avoid any administrative or procedural delay that could affect the implementation of the new National Minimum Wage once it is eventually negotiated and passed into law by the National Assembly.”

The council said the Federal Government’s response before September 30 would determine whether the planned industrial action would go ahead.

“Consequently, the council states that failure by the Federal Government to take the necessary steps to address these issues on or before 30th September 2026 will leave Nigerian workers with no option but to commence a three-day warning strike, with effect from Friday, 2nd October 2026, to press home their demands,” it said.

The council further urged the President to use his Independence Day address to respond to the issues raised by the workers.

“It is imperative to state clearly that the Independence Day address of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria should adequately address these critical issues,” the council said.

It warned that failure to address the demands would deepen dissatisfaction among workers and other Nigerians affected by the economic situation.

“Failure to address the concerns raised, according to the Council, will attract the displeasure of Nigerian workers and their dependants, as well as other vulnerable Nigerians who continue to bear the brunt of the prevailing economic hardship,” it said.

The JNPSNC comprises the Nigerian Civil Service Union; Medical and Health Workers Union; Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria; National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives; Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Employees; Nigeria Union of Public Service, Reportorial, Secretarial, Data Processors and Allied Workers; National Union of Printing, Publishing and Paper Products Workers; and National Union of Agriculture and Allied Employees.

‎The Oyo State House of Assembly has passed the constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish State Police Services and is set to transmit its resolution to the National Assembly.

‎The bill was passed for third reading during plenary on Tuesday after the House constituted itself into a Committee of the Whole and considered the provisions of the bill clause by clause.

‎The sitting was presided over by the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin.

‎The development followed the transmission of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, by the National Assembly to the 36 state Houses of Assembly for consideration and approval. NigeriaInvestment Guide

‎The bill seeks to provide a constitutional framework for the establishment of State Police Services.

‎The National Assembly had asked the state legislatures to consider the bill in accordance with their respective legislative procedures and communicate their resolutions after completing their deliberations.

‎Under the constitutional amendment process, the proposed alteration requires approval by at least two-thirds of the 36 state Houses of Assembly before further steps can be taken at the federal level.

‎With the passage of the bill, the Oyo State House of Assembly will communicate its resolution to the National Assembly as part of the ongoing constitutional alteration process.