Retired police officers are urging the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to recuse himself from discussions regarding their removal from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), citing a lack of trust in his involvement.
During a protest at the National Assembly on Wednesday, the retirees called on lawmakers to take the lead on this critical matter without interference from police leadership.
CSP Manir Lawal (retd.), Chairman of the Kaduna State Chapter of the Association of Retired Police Officers, expressed heightened concerns following a recent meeting, stating, “Before that meeting in Jabi, we were confident that the National Assembly would agree to our exit from the CPS. However, we left that interaction feeling alarmed.”
Lawal accused the Inspector General of meddling in an issue that should solely be under the jurisdiction of the National Assembly, pointing out that other security agencies, including the Army and the Department of State Services, have already been allowed to exit the scheme.
“We recognize lawmakers as our representatives. The Inspector General is a civil servant and should not interfere in legislative matters,” he emphasized.
He questioned why the IG would advocate for retirees to remain under the CPS while senior police ranks are exempt. “We want answers,” Lawal demanded.
Lawal highlighted what he described as financial injustice under the CPS, revealing that retirees typically receive only 25% of their pension savings, with the remainder withheld by PENCOM for investment purposes. “The situation is unsustainable. The money we contributed while in service should not be so poorly managed post-retirement,” he expressed.
The retired officers reiterated their call for the IG to step back and let the National Assembly finalize decisions regarding their future in the pension scheme. “We trust the lawmakers to advocate for us,” Lawal concluded.
