ATIKU PROMISES GRATUITY, IMPROVED PENSIONS FOR POLICE
Read Time:3 Minute, 38 Second
BY JENN NOMAMIUKOR
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has leveled accusations against President Bola Tinubu, alleging that the incumbent administration has effectively abandoned retired police personnel within a dilapidated pension framework. Should Atiku secure the presidency in the 2027 election, he has pledged to implement a comprehensive restructuring of their retirement benefits.
Atiku condemned the situation as entirely intolerable, observing that law enforcement officers, who have courageously safeguarded the Nigerian populace, are now forced to stage demonstrations before the National Pension Commission to press their case for improved retirement benefits.
In a Monday statement issued by Mr. Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication for the African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council, Atiku characterized the treatment of retired police personnel as a pronounced failure of the Tinubu administration, one that reflects a distinct inability to acknowledge their dedicated sacrifices in service to the nation.
He contended that if a government possesses the capacity to dispatch law enforcement personnel to safeguard public officials, it must likewise be endowed with the authority to ensure their financial security and well-being upon retirement.
Atiku said the situation raised serious questions about the government’s commitment to addressing insecurity, noting that the welfare of security personnel should remain an integral part of national security policy.
“If police officers who served this country must endure humiliation to demand a fair pension, what hope is there for other Nigerians who have spent their working lives in public service?” he asked.
The ADC presidential candidate said he was disturbed by the retirees’ protests and had directed members of his team to meet with them to hear their grievances firsthand.
He further criticized Tinubu for his inaction regarding the Police Exit Bill, which, per the statement, has remained pending presidential assent since March.
This legislative initiative aims to extricate the Nigeria Police Force from the Contributory Pension Scheme, a framework that retired officers have persistently condemned for delivering insufficient retirement allowances and precipitating severe financial distress.
Atiku sharply criticized the administration‘s transient treatment of law enforcement personnel, asserting that officers who devoted their prime working years to safeguarding lives and property—including the assets of political officials—must not be abandoned to struggle once they have retired.
In response to these apprehensions, he articulated that his proposed Police Dignity Guarantee Plan would prioritize the welfare and retirement security of law enforcement officers as the cornerstone of his strategy to combat insecurity.
The proposed strategy necessitates the immediate enactment of the Police Exit Bill, coupled with the reinstatement of gratuity provisions for law enforcement personnel alongside the enhancement of retirement benefits.
Furthermore, he committed to enacting the Police Pension Board Bill within thirty days of taking office should he secure the presidency.
“Insecurity cannot be defeated while those who protect the country are denied security in retirement. My Police Dignity Guarantee Plan will ensure that officers who serve Nigeria are properly supported throughout their careers and are not abandoned when they retire,” Atiku said.
He added that his administration would seek to restore dignity to retired officers and address the financial difficulties confronting them.
The agitation by retired police officers over the Contributory Pension Scheme has continued for several months, with demonstrations and repeated appeals to the Federal Government for intervention.
The Police Retired Officers Forum of Nigeria has been at the forefront of the campaign, demanding the removal of the Nigeria Police Force from the scheme and the establishment of a dedicated pension arrangement for its personnel.
The retirees have argued that the existing arrangement has left many former officers struggling to meet basic needs, including healthcare and other essential expenses.
The National Assembly passed the Police Exit Bill on December 4, 2025, and transmitted it to the Presidency on March 16, 2026, for presidential assent.
Retired officers have since staged protests, including a demonstration at the Presidential Villa in Abuja in April, to press for the President’s approval of the legislation.
The Ministry of Police Affairs, however, said in October that the Federal Government was engaging relevant stakeholders on the pension concerns, including the proposed transition from the Contributory Pension Scheme to a Defined Benefit Scheme.
Atiku’s intervention comes as the welfare of security personnel and the management of the country’s pension system feature increasingly in discussions about national security and public-sector reform ahead of the 2027 general election.
Happy
0 %
Sad
0 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
0
0