IGP BOWS TO PRESSURE TO ALLOW PRO-POLICE WELFARE NATIONWIDE PROTESTS

The nationwide protests for improved welfare, better working condition and retirement benefits of officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force will go ahead today as planned today and the police high command will not try to stop it. Instead, the Inspector General of Police, OLUKAYODE EGBETOKUN, has directed Police Commissioners of the various state commands and the Federal Capital Territory to ensure the peaceful conduct of the protests where the organisers had formerly notified the police about the plans. The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP OLUMUYIWA ADEJOBI, said IGP EGBETOKUN charged the State Commissioners of Police to ensure that the protests are not highjacked by miscreants, political actors, or those he described as non-retired agitators. ACP ADEJOBI disclosed in a statement that while some of the issues that have been raised to support the protests by retired police personnel are by good faith, others are based on misinformation, emotional manipulation, and calculated distortions designed to discredit the government and undermine the present leadership of the Nigeria Police Force. “It is disheartening to observe how certain actors have chosen to politicise a sensitive welfare issue, weaponizing the legitimate grievances of our retired colleagues for ulterior motives. Their intent is not reform, but disruption. Their tactics involve twisting facts, inflaming sentiments, and sowing distrust in the public space. These actions do a disservice not only to our noble institution, but to the integrity of public discourse in our country. We however remain focused on the real issue which is the welfare of those who once bore the burden of national security with courage and honour. “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.‎ ‎”Moreover, expert projections indicate that as the scheme matures, its benefits are expected to significantly improve. 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. “In recognition of these constraints and shifting dynamics, the current Police leadership is pursuing a dual-track strategy of supporting the agitation in principle, while urgently exploring innovative, alternative solutions to address the immediate plight of our retirees. These 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. “These interventions are already underway and reflect a broader, more holistic strategy to elevate the welfare of our retired personnel, not merely through policy debates, but through tangible results. The Federal government has been sensitized enough, and appropriate responses are being awaited,” ACP ADEJOBI concluded.