PSC calls for calm: Retired officers told to ditch protest, return to talks

The authority of Police Service Commission (PSC), on Sunday, took a swipe at the retired personnel of the Nigeria Police Force who are planning to embark on a nationwide protest on Monday over pension issues.…

Tthe commission described the retirees’ action as “diversionary, ill-timed and in bad taste”, adding that all retired officers should sheath their sword and tow the part of dialogue rather than choosing confrontational route.

Spokesman of the PSC, Ikechukwu Ani, who stated these in a statement, argued that the Chairman of the commission, Hashim Argungu, had since made several interventions towards the issue.

Daily Trust reports that the retired police officers claimed that they have been pushed to the wall with the government’s unresponsive attitude to their yearnings about what they tagged “discriminatory pension scheme.”

They, however, scheduled a nationwide protest for Monday, July 21, 2025 and they are being backed by different activists, including Presidential candidate of African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 elections, Omoyele Sowore..

But Ani insisted that the PSC boss, also a retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police, had at different fora condemned the poor and discriminatory pension scheme for some categories of retired officers.

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The commission’s spokesman stressed that Argungu had called for a streamlined police pension scheme, and till date, he remains an advocate of a democratised police pension scheme.

Ani said, “The Police Service Commission has noted the ill-advised plan by retired police officers across the nation to embark on a protest over issues that are already receiving the attention of relevant Government Agencies.

“The commission says the intended protest at a time there is almost a consensus that the state/condition of some retired police officers deserve immediate consideration and improvement is diversionary and in bad taste.

“The Commission believes that relevant government agencies are currently looking into the obvious disparity with a view to bridging the gap. It advises that the affected officers should consider the path of dialogue and continuous engagement rather than confrontation.”

The PSC spokesman explained that the Commission wished to state that it would at no time deviate from its “determined efforts” to ensure an improved welfare for police officers, senior or junior and serving or retired.

Ani, however, warned the retired police personnel to rescind their decision to embark on a nationwide protest and return to the negotiation table.

“It wishes to advise the drivers of this intended planned protest to review its intentions and return to the negotiating table in the interest of the existing peace in the country.

“The commission is of the strong belief that the nation cannot afford this distraction at this time of our democratic journey,” the government official said in the statement.