Retired police officers have condemned what they described as grossly inadequate pension benefits, alleging that some of their colleagues receive as little as N1.5 million after 35 years of service.
They are now calling for the Nigerian Police Force to be removed from the Contributory Pension Scheme administered by the National Pension Commission (PENCOM).
The retirees staged a protest on Tuesday at the Oyo State Police Command Headquarters in Eleyele, Ibadan, where they voiced frustration over what they termed unbearable post-retirement hardship and unsustainable monthly pension payments.
One of the protesters, retired Superintendent of Police Joseph Alabi, said former officers were struggling to survive on meagre pensions despite years of national service.“For over two years now, we have been on this matter.
Retired Nigerian police officers are suffering,” he said. “As a retired SP, I go home with about N70,000 monthly.
Is that enough for feeding or taking care of my family?”Alabi argued that the continued inclusion of police personnel in the contributory pension scheme was unjust, noting that other security agencies had already been exempted.
“The Air Force, Navy, military and other agencies have been removed from this scheme, but the police are still there.
That is unfair,” he said.He added that the retirees were demanding presidential assent to a bill already passed by the National Assembly that would facilitate the police’s exit from the scheme and the establishment of a separate pension arrangement.
“All we are asking is for the President to assent to the bill so that we can exit PENCOM and have a system that will take care of both retirees and those still in service,” he said.Another protester, retired Deputy Superintendent of Police Omotayo Salaudeen, who said he served for 35 years, described his retirement package as humiliating.
“How can someone serve for 35 years and be given about N1.5 million or N2 million? We are suffering,” he said, appealing for public support.He lamented that many retirees were already facing severe financial hardship and could barely afford basic necessities.
“We are hungry. We are dying. Nigerians should help us appeal to the government,” he added.
A retired electrical engineer, Babatunde Oluwatoye, who joined the protest in solidarity, described the situation as alarming and urged urgent government intervention.
“I never believed this until I heard from a retired police officer. After 35 years of service, someone is given less than N2 million.
It is unacceptable,” he said.He also warned that poor treatment of retired officers could negatively affect the morale of those still in active service, with implications for national security.
“If serving officers see how retirees are treated, it will affect their motivation and performance,” he said.
The protesters vowed to continue their agitation until their demands are addressed.
The Ibadan demonstration mirrors similar protests held in Abuja and other parts of the country, as retired police officers intensify calls for sweeping pension reforms.
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