Retired police officers under the aegis of the Association of Retired Police Officers of Nigeria (ARPON), Imo State Chapter, on Tuesday staged a peaceful protest in Owerri, demanding total exit from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
The retirees, carrying placards with various inscriptions, marched to the Police Headquarters in Owerri, where they were received by the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Aboki Danjuma.
Speaking on behalf of the group, the Chairman of the association, retired Superintendent of Police Amanze Nwakwue, lamented that the CPS had brought untold hardship and even death to many of their members.
Nwakwue described the scheme as “deadly and obnoxious”, insisting that it should be scrapped and replaced with a Police Pension Board similar to that of the military.
“This Board should cater for the general wellbeing of all police retirees,” he said.
He further demanded the payment of debarment allowance for police retirees to align with the benefits given to their counterparts in the armed forces.
The chairman questioned the rationale behind the exclusion of top police officers — AIGs, DIGs, and I-Gs — from the CPS while those from the rank of Commissioner of Police downwards remained under the scheme.
“If the CPS is that good, why were the police generals exited and leaving from the rank of Commissioner of Police downwards in the CPS?
We want total exit from the deadly and obnoxious contributory pension scheme.
We want the NPF Pension Limited scrapped,” he said, arguing that the organization was not registered to operate as a business entity.
Nwakwue also called for the N758.9 billion bond meant for pension liabilities to be paid directly into the accounts of individual retirees, rather than through Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs).
He urged President Bola Tinubu to issue an executive order granting the police total exit from the CPS, as already enjoyed by the military, DSS, NIA, and National Assembly staff.
Responding, Commissioner of Police Aboki Danjuma appealed for calm, assuring the protesters that the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Olukayode Egbetokun, and his management team were already addressing their concerns.
Describing the retirees as “our fathers and teachers,” he assured them that the I-G was committed to improving the welfare and retirement packages of police officers.
He promised to deliver their protest letter to the I-G for necessary action.
Some of the placards carried by the protesters read: “Retired police officers under the CPS are dying in droves, exit is our stand,” “President Bola Tinubu, please come to the aid of police retirees,” and “We, the retired police officers, say no to evil, killer, and obnoxious contributory pension scheme.”
