RULAAC urges Akpabio to expedite police pension reform bill, warns delay threatens national security
The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has called on Senate President Rt. Hon. Godswill Akpabio to urgently transmit the Nigeria Police Force pension reform bill to the
The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has called on Senate President Rt. Hon. Godswill Akpabio to urgently transmit the Nigeria Police Force pension reform bill to the President for assent, cautioning that continued delays could undermine justice, institutional confidence, and national security.
In an open letter dated February 12, 2026, and signed by Executive Director Okechukwu Nwanguma, RULAAC described the pending transmission — aimed at removing the Nigeria Police Force from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) — as more than an administrative issue, framing it as a moral and national security imperative.
Although the Senate passed the bill on December 4, 2025, it has yet to be sent to the President for assent.
RULAAC highlighted that the welfare of serving and retired police officers has long been inadequate, leaving many retirees in poverty despite decades of service. The organisation argued that poor welfare structures fuel corruption, erode morale, and weaken public trust in law enforcement institutions.
Nwanguma stressed that pension reform for police personnel is a strategic necessity rather than a concession, noting that improved welfare would enhance professionalism, accountability, and operational effectiveness within the force.
The group cited concerns from the Police Retired Officers Forum (PROF), who maintain that the CPS fails to account for the unique risks of police service, leaving many retirees dependent on irregular and insufficient pension payments.
RULAAC warned that any further delay in transmitting the bill, whether procedural or political, risks creating suspicion and eroding confidence in the legislative process.
The organisation linked police welfare directly to broader security challenges in Nigeria, including insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, and communal violence, emphasizing that a demoralized police force may struggle to protect citizens and uphold democratic stability.
Highlighting the dangers and pressures of police work, RULAAC argued that any pension system must reflect the physical risks, psychological stress, and social hostility officers face. Timely assent of the bill, it said, would signal the Senate’s commitment to justice, institutional strengthening, and national stability, while restoring confidence among police personnel and retirees.
The advocacy group further noted that robust police welfare has wider economic benefits, including strengthening the rule of law, improving the investment climate, and supporting national development.
Describing protesting retirees as “veterans of service” rather than agitators, RULAAC urged authorities to address their concerns with urgency, transparency, and finality, particularly given their vulnerability due to age, ill health, and financial insecurity.
Nwanguma concluded by urging the Senate President to act without delay, warning that neglecting police pension security weakens a critical national institution and that justice deferred in pension matters equates to justice denied.
