Retirees from the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), have staged protests in various states in the country, requesting for the removal of the Force from the Contributory Pension Scheme of PenCom.
The retirees have staged protest in Kaduna, and Niger State and are reportedly warming up to register their grievances in Abuja the Federal Capital Territory.
In Niger State, the Association of Retired Police Officers of Nigeria protested the ‘dehumanizing treatment of their members by PenCom’.
The protesters had placards with various inscriptions including; ‘Police Pensioners Reduced to Beggars’, NPF Pension No AGM, No Dividend Declared after 5-years – Why’, ‘After Serving the Nation for 35-years Why Paying Ourselves from What we Contributed’, and ‘We Need Total Exemption of Police from Contributory Pension Scheme’.
The retirees protested from the officers mess area to the state Police command headquarters to deliver their letter of protest to the Commissioner of Police for onward delivery to the Inspector General of Police.
Speaking to newsmen, the leader of the retirees, Madu Dambuwa, said;
“Some of us got as low as N1.2 million at the end of our service. The IGP should listen to us and if they refused more of this kind of protest would come out.
“Our salary as police retirees is too poor compared to other security forces. Majority of us are earning like N38, 000 monthly while some other security forces gets over N100, 000 monthly as pension. Police gave birth to all other security forces and we should be treated equally.
“Pencom publication recently shows that pension fund has risen to N12. 8 trillion. This is evidently clear that the exit of Police cannot cripple Pencom claims.”
Addressing the protesters, DCP Shehu Abdullahi, said their message would be delivered.
He also informed them that a bill is before the senate concerning their plight.
On Monday, September 20, the retired Police officers marched to the Kaduna State Police Command headquarters protesting the pension scheme introduced to the force.
