The Kaduna State Chapter of Retired Police Officers has announced plans to hold a peaceful protest in Abuja next Tuesday over the delay in passing two pension bills currently before the Senate.
The chairman of the group, CSP Mannir Lawal Zaria (retd.), made this known in a statement issued after their monthly general meeting at the Police Officers’ Mess in Kaduna.
The retired officers are demanding the passage of two bills that would remove the Nigeria Police from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) and establish the Nigeria Police Pension Board.
CSP Zaria stated that the planned protest will take place at the National Assembly premises in Abuja, aiming to push for their exclusion from the CPS and the creation of a dedicated pension board for police officers.
He also raised concerns about the increasing number of deaths among police retirees, revealing that seven retired officers had passed away within a week due to extreme poverty.
“Our children are out of school, from nursery to university level. Many of our members can no longer afford medical care or even provide for their families. Because of this, we have lost all respect within our own homes,” he lamented.
In a related development, the retirees accused the Nigeria Police of planning to introduce a new pension scheme, known as the “100 and 80% Pension Scheme.”
Under this scheme, police officers from the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police to Commissioner of Police would receive 100% of their salaries as pensions, while officers from Chief Superintendent of Police down to Constable would receive 80%.
