Tinubu Orders Immediate Pension Increment for Police Retirees After Abuja Protest

... Moves to Provide Free Healthcare for Low-Income Retirees Across Nigeria

Following a protest in Abuja by aggrieved police retirees, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the immediate implementation of pension increments and a minimum pension guarantee for retired officers under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).

The directive comes in response to public outcry over the plight of retired members of the Nigeria Police Force, many of whom have lamented neglect and financial hardship after decades of service.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu also ordered the prompt rollout of free healthcare for low-income retirees across the country - a move aimed at easing the burden on the vulnerable elderly population.

The President issued the directive after receiving a detailed briefing from the Director General of the National Pension Commission (PenCom), Omolola Oloworaran, who explained the Commission's current reform agenda and efforts to ensure that pension fund assets retain their value despite rising inflation and economic instability.

According to Onanuga, the President emphasized the need to "resolve the longstanding police pension issueÔÇØ without delay, insisting that men and women who risk their lives to protect the nation must not retire into poverty or indignity.

During the briefing, the PenCom DG highlighted new initiatives, including foreign currency pension contributions to accommodate Nigerians in the diaspora. She also noted that mechanisms were being put in place to safeguard the real value of pensions and expand the scheme's national coverage.

President Tinubu threw his weight behind the proposals, assuring the DG of full support for PenCom's pension reform strategy. He reiterated his administration's commitment to inclusive growth, welfare protection, and improved quality of life for all Nigerians - particularly retirees who spent their active years in public service.

The development follows a massive protest by retired police officers in Abuja, where they demanded improved pension packages, better welfare, and inclusion in the national pension reforms.