—says their condition have continued to deteriorate
Retired Senior Nigeria Police Officers have cried out over their poor pension and pleaded with Police Service Commission, PSC, for quick intervention in rescuing them from abandonment and poor retirement benefits.
A Delegation of retired senior Police Officers in Nigeria led by DIG Maigari Dikko on Wednesday, October 16th 2024 voiced their pains before the Chairman of PSC Hashimu Argungu ,himself a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police.
The delegation, were Members of the Police College Ikeja 1986 CADET ASP Course 14 and had come to felicitate with their own, DIG Taiwo Lakanu, fdc who was recently appointed by Mr. President as Honourable Commissioner in the Commission.
The senior officers also complained that the Nigeria Police they served with all their might have continued to degenerate with “our Policemen now more in private homes than in the streets,” a statement by Ikechukwu Ani, Head, Press and Public Relations of the Commission stated.
They lamented that retired Commissioners of Police till date receive about N73,000 as monthly pensions while their counterparts in the Military are paid upwards of N300,000 stressing that in other countries “pension entitlements are always the same for the Military and Police Officers”. They feared that this situation if not quickly reversed will constitute serious security threat.
The Delegation said the Federal Government should also quickly withdraw the several Police Officers in private homes and free them to help 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”.
The Commission Chairman, DIG Hashimu Argungu rtd, who joined DIG Lakanu to receive the team, pledged the Commitment of the Commission to restore the glory of the Nigeria Police Force both serving or retired.
DIG Argungu noted that some of the retired Officers will be engaged by the Commission to serve in its Quality Assurance Unit so that they bring their experience to bear on how the Commission manages the personnel of the Police.
He also assured them that they would also be encouraged to enjoy the benefits of having their children recruited into the Police either through the Police Academy Wudil Kano or through direct recruitment.
DIG Argungu said the retired Officers are veritable assets needed for nation building.
The host, DIG Lakanu told his course mates that they have gotten 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”
He said the Commission will see how it can Intervene to help change the poor retirement benefits of Members.
Some other Members of the delegation were DIG Abdulmajid Ali, AIG U.U. Shehu Ambursa and AIG Alapini.