Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A retired Superintendent of Police, Owolabi Odesanmi, has recounted the traumatic circumstances that led to the amputation of his leg while on active duty at Tincan Island in Lagos, lamenting that after sacrificing his health and limb in the line of duty, the nation has abandoned him to suffer under an unfair pension system. The 60-year-old officer's emotional testimony was delivered during a press conference organised by the Retired Police Officers Forum under the Contributory Pension Scheme in Akure, the Ondo State capital, on Tuesday, June 9, 2026.
Odesanmi disclosed that he lost his leg during an operation to apprehend a suspected robber at the Apapa Wharf area while serving at Tincan Island. "My leg was amputated while I was in active service to this country. We were about four officers chasing a robber at Apapa Wharf when a trailer ran over my leg. The injury became so severe that the leg had to be amputated," he narrated. Despite his years of service and the sacrifice of his limb, the retired officer said his sacrifice for the nation has not been adequately recognised, leaving him to grapple with the physical and financial consequences of his injury without adequate state support.
Odesanmi's testimony formed part of a broader campaign by retired police personnel demanding an immediate exit of the Nigeria Police Force from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS). The forum argued that police personnel face enormous occupational hazards comparable to those faced by other security agencies that have already been exempted from the Contributory Pension Scheme. Institutions such as the Armed Forces, the Department of State Services (DSS), the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have been granted exemptions from the pension scheme because of the unique risks associated with their duties.
At the forefront of the campaign is the Police Exit Bill, formally titled "A Bill for an Act to Establish the Nigeria Police Force Pension Board." The proposed legislation seeks to exempt the Nigeria Police Force from the Contributory Pension Scheme by amending Section 5(1a) of the Pension Reforms Act 2014 and adding the NPF to the list of exempted institutions. The bill was passed by the National Assembly on December 4, 2025, and transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent on March 16, 2026. However, nearly three months after the bill reached his desk, it remains unsigned, leaving over 30,000 retired police officers in a state of uncertainty and deepening frustration.
Speaking at the same press conference, the National Coordinator of the Retired Police Officers Forum, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Raphael T. Irowainu (Rtd.), issued an 11-day ultimatum to President Tinubu, demanding that he assent to the Police Exit Bill on or before June 19, 2026. Irowainu described the proposed legislation as a historic opportunity for President Tinubu to address longstanding grievances among police retirees and to make one of the most impactful security decisions in recent history.
"If President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signs the Police Exit Bill into law, he will be making one of the most impactful security decisions in recent history because he will be restoring institutional parity and strengthening inter-agency morale and cooperation," Irowainu said. He argued that police officers who are uncertain about their future after retirement cannot be expected to perform optimally while in service, adding that financial security after service encourages integrity during service. "This bill is not merely a welfare reform; it is a strategic national security investment whose benefits will be felt across every community, state and sector of the Nigerian Federation," he stated.
The retired officers noted that the Contributory Pension Scheme has failed to address the peculiar hazards and conditions of police service, leaving many retirees surviving on meagre monthly pensions that cannot meet their basic needs. Some have reported earning as little as N18,000 monthly after decades of service. The CPS applies to employees in the public service of the federation, states, local governments, and the private sector, but members of the armed forces and intelligence agencies have long been exempted. The retirees argue that extending similar treatment to police personnel would restore institutional parity, boost morale within security agencies, and demonstrate national appreciation for officers who risk their lives daily to protect citizens.
The forum's demands include total withdrawal of the Nigeria Police Force from the Contributory Pension Scheme, migration to a Defined Benefit Pension Scheme, establishment of a Police Pension Board, and payment of all outstanding pension rights and arrears owed to retired officers. Irowainu declared that "Our position remains unchanged, unwavering and non-negotiable — total exit from PENCOM and restoration of pension justice for retired police officers. This struggle is not about privilege but about justice, equity, fair play and human dignity. The Nigeria Police Force cannot continue to protect the nation while the nation fails to protect them in retirement."
Above is the photograph of the retired Superintendent of Police, Owolabi Odesanmi, who lost his leg in active service.
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