In a move signaling potential pension reforms, the Nigerian police authorities have issued an urgent directive requiring all officers enlisted before the establishment of Pension Fund Administrators (PFA) on June 30, 2004, to submit their pension details. The directive, conveyed through a confidential police wireless message obtained by SaharaReporters, mandates compliance by February 24, 2025.
The affected officers, including Inspectors and rank-and-file personnel, must provide their details at the Admin Office of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command Headquarters in Abuja. The required information includes:
Serial number
Name
Gender
Date of retirement
Pension PIN
PFA name
Salary structure as of June 30, 2004
Grade level and step as of 2004
Urgent Compliance Warning
The police memo, marked with urgency, warns that failure to provide accurate details will be at the officer’s own risk. It states:
Pension scheme X as matter of urgency X all officers X Inspectors X rank and file X enlisted before the PFA come into existence on 30 June 2004 X down ward X to submit their details to the admin office urgently X on or before Monday being 24/02/2025 unfailingly for onward transmission to the pension office at FCT Police Command Headquarters Abuja X You’re further warned to make sure that all information provided is correct or you have yourself to be blamed X above for your strict compliance.”
This directive follows President Bola Tinubu’s recent acknowledgment of the dire state of police pensions. Earlier this month, SaharaReporters revealed that Tinubu pledged to improve the system, admitting that the current pensions are grossly inadequate given Nigeria’s economic realities.
During an interactive session with retired police officers and stakeholders of the Nigeria Police Pensions at the Police Resource Centre in Jabi, Abuja, Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun disclosed that a proposal for an improved pension structure had been submitted to the President.
Egbetokun confirmed that Tinubu agreed on the necessity of boosting the earnings of retired police officers and hinted at a possible annual intervention fund from the federal government to enhance police welfare.
The discussion around police pensions is not new. On January 30, human rights activist Omoyele Sowore joined the ‘Egbetokun Must Go’ protest at the Federal High Court in Abuja, where he reiterated his stance against oppression and demanded better welfare for police officers.
Sowore, who had been released on bail set at ₦10 million after calling Egbetokun the “illegal IGP,” vowed to continue his advocacy, stating:
“If it means organizing a nationwide protest for their rights, we are ready. We are not doing this to patronize the police, but as employees of the Federal Government, they deserve housing, quality education for their children, and salaries that reflect their crucial role. A banker they protect earns more than them, yet without the police, banks cannot even open.”
Nigeria’s police pension system has been a subject of controversy, with many officers retiring into financial distress. After 35 years of service, officers reportedly receive meager gratuities and pensions.
Assistant Superintendents to Superintendents of Police receive gratuities below ₦2 million and monthly pensions ranging from ₦20,000 to ₦35,000.
Commissioners of Police receive gratuities below ₦5 million and monthly pensions around ₦70,000.
To address these challenges, legislative efforts have been made to exempt the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) and establish a dedicated Police Pension Board under a Defined Benefits Scheme. While proponents argue that this would better cater to police personnel, critics warn that it could impose a financial burden of approximately ₦3.5 trillion annually on the federal government.
The recent directive for officers enlisted before June 30, 2004, to submit their pension details could be a crucial step in the ongoing push to revamp the police pension system. Whether this move will lead to actual reform or remain another bureaucratic exercise remains to be seen.
PIONEER NEWS 