Retired senior police officers in Nigeria have pleaded for quick intervention of the Police Service Commission (PSC) in rescuing them from abandonment and poor retirement benefits.
A delegation of the retirees, led by DIG Maigari Dikko, made the appeal during a visit to the PSC on Wednesday, October 16, according to a statement by the Commission’s spokesman, Ikechukwu Ani.
The delegation included members of the Police College, Ikeja, 1986 CADET ASP Course 14, who also came to felicitate with one of them, DIG Taiwo Lakanu, who was recently appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Honourable Commissioner in the Commission.
The visitors also complained that the police they served with all their might had continued to degenerate, saying that “our policemen are now more in private homes than on the streets.”
They lamented that retired Commissioners of Police till date receive about N73,000 as monthly pensions while their counterparts in the military are paid more than N300,000.
They noted that in other countries, “pension entitlements are always the same for the military and police officers.”
They expressed fear that the situation might constitute serious security threat if not quickly reversed.
The delegation advised the federal government to quickly withdraw the several police officers deployed to private homes and make them free to secure the nation and effectively
occupy the public space.
“The PSC should Intervene quickly; there are many policemen in private homes and land grabbers have continued to use them to molest and intimidate opponents,” they said.
Responding, the PSC Chairman, DIG Hashimu Argungu (Rtd), who joined DIG Lakanu to receive the team, pledged its commitment to restoring the glory of the Nigeria Police Force and its officers, both serving or retired.
DIG Argungu noted that some of the retired officers would be engaged by the Commission to serve in its Quality Assurance Unit so that they would bring their experiences to bear on how it manages the police personnel.
He also assured them that they would also be able to enjoy the benefits of having their children recruited into the police, either through the Police Academy, Wudil Kano, or direct recruitment.
DIG Argungu also described the retired officers as veritable assets needed for nation building.
The host, DIG Lakanu, assured his course mates that they have got another home with his assumption of duty in the Commission.
“We are course mates, we will remain close friends; we will bring some of you here and together we will make this place better,” Lakanu assured.
He said the Commission would see how it could Intervene to help change the poor retirement benefits of members.
Other members of the delegation included DIG Abdulmajid Ali, AIG U.U. Shehu Ambursa and AIG Tunji Alapini.
