Police Retirees Protest: IGP Orders Maximum Security, Warns Against Hijack

The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered all Commissioners of Police across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to ensure maximum security for retired police officers taking part in a planned nationwide protest.

The protest, scheduled to hold on Monday, centres on longstanding grievances over welfare and pensions. In a statement issued on Sunday by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the IGP directed that the rights of the retirees must be upheld and protected.

According to Adejobi, “The IGP has ordered that the rights of our retired officers who have chosen to protest must be protected, and the protest should serve as a model of dignified expression of grievance.”

He added that there had been efforts to misrepresent the motives behind the protest, cautioning the public against the spread of misinformation. He explained that the agitation by retired officers to exit the Contributory Pension Scheme is not a new demand, but one that has been ongoing for years.

“This is not a recent development,” Adejobi clarified. “Successive IGPs have backed the agitation, but progress has been hindered by statutory limitations, inter-agency complications, and fiscal constraints.”

He, however, warned against any attempt to politicise the protest or exploit it for personal or political gain. “It is disheartening to observe how certain actors have chosen to politicise a sensitive welfare issue, weaponising the legitimate grievances of our retired colleagues for ulterior motives,” he said.

In response, the IGP directed all state police commands and the FCT to not only allow the protest but to provide adequate security and ensure that the demonstrations are not hijacked by miscreants, political actors, or unrelated agitators.

The IGP further urged the Commissioners to sensitise their officers on the constitutional rights of peaceful assembly and to treat the protesting retirees with utmost respect.

Additionally, operational and intelligence resources are to be deployed to maintain public order, protect lives and property, and preserve the integrity of the Nigeria Police Force.

The Force spokesman concluded with a call to the protesting officers: “We urge our retired colleagues to ensure the protest is peaceful, dignified, and focused on the core issues.”