Amnesty International has called on Nigerian authorities to respect the right of retired police personnel and widows to peacefully protest nationwide on Tuesday over unresolved pension grievances.
In a statement issued Monday, the human rights organisation condemned the long-standing neglect and hardship faced by retired members of the Nigeria Police Force and their families, describing the situation as “unacceptable misery.”
Amnesty said many retirees suffer under what they call a “discriminatory and irregular pension scheme,” noting that the plight of security personnel in retirement continues to be overlooked. “Retirement has become a dreadful phase for many who served in the police force,” the statement read.
The group recalled that in January 2025, military retirees only received their overdue entitlements after staging days-long protests at the Ministries of Defence and Finance in Abuja.
“A system where those who safeguarded national security must protest to receive their rightful pensions reflects poorly on Nigeria’s image,” Amnesty said, urging the government to tackle the systemic corruption and mismanagement that leave police retirees and widows in destitution.
The organisation called for immediate reforms to ensure that law enforcement officers are treated with dignity during and after their service.
