Retired police officers have decried the disparity in retirement benefits between themselves and their counterparts in the military, accusing the government of neglect.
According to the retired officers, while former Commissioners of Police are currently paid a meagre N73,000 monthly as pensions, their military counterparts receive over N300,000, a situation they describe as unjust and a potential security threat.
The aggrieved ex-policemen, led by retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police Maigari Dikko, raised their concerns during a visit to the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, DIG Hashimu Argungu (retd).
In a statement issued on Thursday by PSC spokesperson Ikechukwu Ani, the retired officers appealed for urgent intervention from the Commission to address their plight of abandonment and inadequate retirement benefits.
The statement partly read, “The delegation expressed dismay at the poor pensions paid to retired Commissioners of Police, while their counterparts in the military enjoy significantly higher payments. They noted that in other countries, pension entitlements for military and police officers are usually equal and warned that if this disparity is not addressed, it could pose a serious security threat.”
The retired officers also voiced concerns about the growing number of police personnel assigned to private homes, which they believe detracts from the force’s ability to maintain public order. They called on the Federal Government to recall these officers and redeploy them to help secure the nation.
“We urge the government to immediately withdraw the numerous police officers stationed in private residences and redeploy them to ensure the security of the public and occupy public spaces,” they said.
In response, the PSC Chairman, DIG Argungu, reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to restoring the dignity and welfare of both serving and retired officers of the Nigeria Police Force.
He disclosed plans to engage some of the retired officers in the Commission’s Quality Assurance Unit, where their wealth of experience would be utilised to enhance the management of police personnel.
Argungu also assured the retired officers that efforts would be made to ensure their children benefit from recruitment into the force, either through the Police Academy in Wudil, Kano, or through direct recruitment.
“Retired officers are invaluable assets to nation-building, and we will explore ways to improve their retirement benefits,” Argungu stated.
The host, DIG Lakanu (retd), who also received the delegation, assured his coursemates that their concerns would not be ignored, promising that the Commission would work towards addressing the issue of poor retirement benefits.
“The Commission will examine how it can intervene to bring about meaningful change in the pensions of retired officers,” the statement added.