The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) on Sunday said it has begun plans to resolve pension irregularities through Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
This comes in reaction to a protest being organised by some retired officers over unpaid pension entitlements.
The protest is scheduled to take place in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and other state commands where prior notification had been given.
The force spokesperson ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi said while some of the concerns raised are legitimate and grounded in facts, others have been fueled by emotional manipulation, misinformation, and deliberate distortions aimed at discrediting the current police leadership.
He criticised those politicising the issue and accused certain actors of twisting facts and exploiting retirees’ grievances for disruptive purposes.
Adejobi described their actions as intentional efforts to provoke public distrust rather than pursue meaningful reforms.
“The agitation for improved police pensions, particularly the call for exit from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), is not a recent development.
“It has spanned over a decade. Since 2014, successive Inspectors-General of Police have demonstrated empathy, engaged critical stakeholders, and provided institutional support for this cause.
“Yet, despite these earnest efforts, the desired outcome has remained elusive; not for lack of will, but due to entrenched legal provisions, fiscal limitations, and administrative bottlenecks.
“The hard truth is that exiting the Police from the CPS lies beyond the remit of any Inspector-General, as the matter is deeply woven into a web of statutory mandates, inter-agency protocols, and policy inertia,” Adejobi said.
He explained that expert projections suggest pension outcomes will improve as the CPS matures.
Quoting Adejobi, “Officers retiring within the next five years are projected to receive significantly more favourable pension outcomes than those currently exiting the system.
“In practical terms, this means that the longer one remains in the scheme, the less likely they are to experience the same pension challenges. This evolving reality demands a pragmatic review of our approach.”
Given the constraints, Adejobi said the current leadership is adopting a dual-track approach: supporting the agitation in principle, while actively exploring alternative measures to meet immediate needs.
He said the police are considering internally generated revenues as a means to supplement pensions.
Adejobi added, “The initiatives include utilising internally generated revenues from police services to provide supplementary pension benefits; and mobilising private sector and corporate support for the establishment of targeted pension enhancement initiatives”.
He continued, “Let it be stated unequivocally that this explanation is not intended to suppress the planned protest. On the contrary, it reflects a leadership that listens, understands, and engages in good faith.
“The Inspector-General of Police has interacted extensively with many retired officers over the past year, and several groups have since withdrawn their support for the protest, having appreciated the direction of current efforts.
“However, for those who still choose to proceed, their rights will be protected”.
Adejobi said the IGP has instructed all Commissioners of Police to oversee the peaceful conduct of the protest in the FCT and other states where notice has been submitted.
He tasked the CPs to “provide adequate security coverage to our retired colleagues who have chosen to publicly express their grievances; prevent any hijack of the protest by miscreants, political actors, or non-retired agitators; sensitise officers and men under their command on the constitutional rights to peaceful assembly, and the obligation to show utmost respect to our retired colleagues; while deploying intelligence and operational resources to protect lives, maintain public order, and safeguard institutional integrity.”
He also directed officers to treat the protest with professionalism and dignity.
The IGP charged all officers to note that the protest, described as “the mother of all peaceful protests”, must not only be peaceful; it must be exemplary, and as such should stand as a national model for dignified expression of grievance and responsible public order management.”
“We must show, by conduct and command, that the Nigeria Police Force is both professional and humane,” he added.
Source: TheWhistler | Read More
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