By Izunna Okafor, Awka
Former Anambra State Commissioner of Police, CP Aderemi Adeoye, has expressed deep worry over what he described as the inefficiency and ineffectiveness of Nigeria’s contributory pension system, especially as it affects retired police officers, many of whom he lamented die while waiting endlessly to access their entitlements.
Adeoye made the remarks on Tuesday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, where he discussed and reacted to the nationwide protest staged by retired police officers on Monday across the country over unpaid pensions and poor treatment.
Describing the protest as painful but necessary, the retired CP said the sight of elderly, once gallant officers taking to the streets in search of what is due them after decades of selfless service is heartbreaking. According to him, the contributory pension scheme, which mandates police personnel to contribute 8% of their salaries monthly during active service while the federal government contributes 10%, falls short of what is expected for those who have served the nation for as long as 35 years.
He regretted that many of the retirees, whose only vocation throughout life has been policing, have no secondary skills or alternate profession to fall back on, and are therefore left stranded when their monthly pay ceases abruptly on retirement. He revealed that from the rank of Commissioner of Police downwards, officers’ salaries are halted immediately upon retirement, and most times, it takes up to two years or more before they begin to receive any form of benefit.
Within this long and uncertain waiting period, Adeoye said, many of them die due to the lack of resources to feed, pay rent, take medication, or send their children to school. And even when the benefits finally come, they are meagre and staggered. He noted that a retired Commissioner of Police used to earn about ₦87,000 monthly, which was later increased to less than ₦100,000 following a recent ₦15,000 presidential adjustment. This, he lamented, remains paltry and unjust, especially when compared to a military captain (equivalent to a Deputy Superintendent of Police) who earns about ₦300,000 in monthly pension.
The ex-police chief revealed that he, too, has yet to receive his entitlements over a year after retirement, and had to mentally prepare himself for a two-year wait even before leaving office. He decried the hopelessness and depression many of his colleagues face, especially those who had hoped to use their gratuities to start a business or complete their houses, only to face prolonged delays and silence from the system.
According to him, the inefficiency of the pension system paints a terrible picture and communicates to police personnel that their years of sacrifice mean little to the country. He described the entire process as humiliating, unjust, and a betrayal of those who have risked their lives for national peace and security.
Reacting to the Inspector General of Police’s recent statement that efforts are underway to resolve the matter, Adeoye admitted that the IG appeared sensitive and concerned, noting that the problem preceded his tenure. He said the IG had reportedly been consulting with stakeholders on how best to handle the situation and initially resisted calls to exit the contributory pension scheme due to uncertainties about what would follow. However, he now seems more open to exiting, alongside other agencies like the military, DSS, and NIA, which are no longer under the contributory pension scheme.
Adeoye also hinted at an ongoing bill in the House of Representatives which, once passed, would establish a Nigerian Police First Pension Board and formally withdraw the police from the current inefficient and ineffective contributory scheme. He sees this as the beginning of hope and a possible solution, but warned that pronouncements alone are not enough without implementation.
He commended the IG for considering interim measures to augment the current pension payouts from the police’s internal resources but maintained that the real relief would come only when actual steps are taken and the system is restructured to guarantee timely and decent pensions.
Calling on Nigerians and the government, he said the country owes its police force an apology for allowing a situation where officers retire and wait indefinitely for what they have already worked for — only to die before receiving it. He insisted that the suffering endured by retired officers must end and that no nation should treat its law enforcement in such a disgraceful manner.
While urging his fellow retirees to remain peaceful and law-abiding in their protests, Adeoye warned against allowing hoodlums or anti-state elements to hijack their demonstrations. He encouraged them to maintain faith and confidence in the leadership of the country and the Force and to keep hope alive that better days are on the horizon.
Adeoye concluded with an emotional plea, saying “We must retain this confidence, because when hope is lost, all is lost. But we must keep hope alive. Better days shall come.”
Watch the video below:
