By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu
The International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) Nigeria has thrown its weight behind the Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Kayode Egbetokun, in his renewed push for the overhaul of Nigeria’s Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) for retired police officers, calling it a matter of justice, dignity, and constitutional obligation.
In a formal diplomatic appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the IHRC described the current pension arrangement as a clear breach of Sections 17(3)(f) and 34(1)(a) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which mandate the state to ensure the dignity and welfare of public officers especially those who risk their lives to maintain national security.
According to H.E. Ambassador Dr. Duru Hezekiah, IHRC’s Head of Mission in Nigeria, “What we are witnessing is not just a pension policy failure but a direct violation of constitutional values. Police retirees are being forced into hardship by a system that does not recognize the nature of their service or the risks they took to protect this country.”
The statement follows a high-level engagement on July 1, 2025, at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, where IGP Egbetokun met with the National Association of Retired Police Officers of Nigeria (NARPON), led by AIG Paul O. Ochonu (Rtd), and the Coalition of CPS Retirees, led by CP Henry Njoku Esq (Rtd). At the meeting, the IGP reaffirmed his commitment to correcting the injustice facing retired Police personnel.
“Our retirees deserve dignity, support, and a pension system that reflects their sacrifice,” IGP Egbetokun said. “The current structure is deeply flawed and unfit for the realities of Police service.”
The IHRC noted that while military retirees are exempt from the CPS and enjoy a more robust pension system, Police retirees who face similar life-threatening duties remain trapped in an inadequate scheme that offers little post-service security.
“This is a constitutional and moral failure,” said Ambassador Hezekiah. “Our security men and women who spend decades in active service should not end their lives in penury. President Tinubu must rise to the occasion and lead this reform in line with the spirit of his Renewed Hope Agenda.”
The IHRC’s intervention is not isolated. Growing discontent among Police retirees, rights advocates, and civil society groups has intensified calls for reform. Many argue that the inequality in post-service treatment between the military and the police undermines morale and national security.
Fidelis Onakpoma, Head of Media and Strategic Communications for IHRC Nigeria, said the time for lip service is over.
“We are appealing to the conscience of the Nigerian leadership. This is not about politics it’s about human dignity, justice, and national interest,” he said.
As pressure mounts, all eyes are now on President Tinubu to correct what many see as a long-standing injustice one that continues to weigh heavily on thousands of retired police officers who gave their best to Nigeria but now live with little to show for it.