•Nigerian Senate
The Union of Retired Police Officers, Kaduna State Chapter, has issued an ultimatum to the National Assembly to remove its members from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) by the end of January 2025 or face a prolonged occupation of the assembly complex.
The union has vowed to bring mattresses, mats, cooking utensils, and other domestic items to the National Assembly, where they plan to remain until their demands are met, reports Nigerian Tribune.
Chairman CSP Mannir M. Lawal (Rtd) and Secretary ASP Danladi Maigamo (Rtd) made the declaration in a press release issued in Kaduna today.
The statement warned, “As our patience is already exhausted, if by the end of January 2025, the Nigeria Police are not removed from CPS, we will have no alternative but to occupy the National Assembly.
“This time, it will not be easy, as we will carry our mattresses, mats, cooking utensils, and all our domestic needs to the National Assembly, where we will remain until we are exited from CPS.”
The retirees expressed frustration over unfulfilled promises and declared their resolve to fight for their rights and dignity.
They lamented the inaction of the House Committee on Police Pension, which conducted public hearings and pledged to submit its report within a week but has since provided no updates.
The union decried the CPS, describing it as a system that has left police retirees in poverty, leading to avoidable deaths.
They called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene and address their plight, urging him to end what they termed the “enslavement” of police retirees under the scheme.
“For the sake of justice and equality, President Bola Tinubu should come to the aid of police retirees under the CPS by removing us and ensuring the payment of our pending allowances and palliatives,” the statement said.
At their monthly meeting held on December 18, 2024, the union discussed critical issues, including the public hearings on the proposed Nigeria Police Pension Board.
They criticised the government for failing to prioritise police retirees’ concerns, despite addressing those of other security agencies.
The union also debunked claims by PENCOM, NPF Pension, the Central Bank, and the National Union of Pensioners (NUP) that the Federal Government would require N3 trillion to settle police pensions if they exited the CPS.
They argued, “The total strength of the Nigeria Police is approximately 350,000, and not all will retire simultaneously. PENCOM has confirmed assets worth about twenty-one trillion naira.
“Even if N3 trillion is allocated for the police exit, PENCOM would still retain a balance of about eighteen trillion naira.”
The retirees remain determined to pursue their demands until tangible actions are taken to address their grievances.
