Remove us from contributory pension scheme, retired Police officers urge Tinubu

Police retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), Oyo State chapter, have appealed to President Bola Tinubu to remove them from the scheme, stating, “We are almost dead and sick.”

In a statement made available to the press and signed by ACP Victoria Ladigbolu (retd), Chairperson of Police Retirees under CPS, Oyo State Chapter; CSP Benjamin Ishado Akande (retd), Vice Chairman; and DSP Omidina Oyewole (retd), Secretary, the union urged the President to remove all personnel/retirees from the rank of Commissioner of Police down to Police Constables.

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The statement reads: “As the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, you are automatically the Commander in Chief of the Nigeria Police Force, the foremost force in the country, predating the military and all others. History speaks volumes to this.

“It is pertinent to inform His Excellency that, as President in charge of the NPF, you have the power to remove NPF retirees and all personnel from the CPS, just as your predecessor, President Muhammadu Buhari, exempted Police Generals (IGPs) from the CPS through an executive order.

“As we speak, these officers are enjoying supportive monthly pensions, while we—the Police Force foot soldiers, from Commissioners down to Constables—are struggling in retirement. Can this situation foster better service delivery?

“Commissioners of Police receive a monthly pension ranging from N70,000 to N80,000, depending on their year of retirement.

“Deputy Commissioners to Assistant Commissioners receive pensions of N50,000 to N60,000, depending on their retirement year,” the statement added, questioning how they are expected to survive on such minimal sums.

They pleaded with President Tinubu to expedite the removal of these categories of retirees from the contributory pension scheme without delay.