This message is contained in a press statement issued on Monday by Alhaji Rasaki Oladejo, President and Professor Wole Abbas, Executive Secretary, MUSWEN.

The Muslim group said, “This elevation, approved by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, is a testament to Disu’s decades of dedicated service, professionalism, and proven track record in various strategic roles within the Force, including his leadership in critical operations and commands.”

“We see in his appointment a fresh opportunity to strengthen internal security architecture and restore greater public confidence in the Nigeria Police Force at this pivotal time,” MUSWEN affirmed.

It added that “As the umbrella organisation for Muslims in the South West geopolitical zone, MUSWEN recognises the enormous challenges confronting our nation, particularly the persistent wave of insecurity manifesting in banditry, kidnapping, communal clashes, cultism, and other violent crimes that continue to threaten lives, property, and peaceful coexistence—especially in our region and across the country.”

The group said, “We therefore task the Acting IGP to prioritise the following key areas during his tenure: Intensifying community policing initiatives, fostering closer collaboration between security agencies and local communities, including faith-based organisations, traditional institutions, and youth groups, to build trust and enhance intelligence gathering at the grassroots level.

“Addressing rising insecurity in the South West, with particular attention to kidnapping along major highways, farmer-herder conflicts, urban violence, and emerging threats that undermine economic activities and social harmony in our states.

“Strengthening discipline, welfare, and capacity building within the Force to boost morale, reduce corruption, and equip officers with modern tools, training, and technology for effective, intelligence-led policing.

“Ensuring impartiality, professionalism, and respect for human rights in all operations, while upholding the rule of law and protecting the rights of all citizens irrespective of faith, ethnicity, or background.”

MUSWEN pledged its full support and cooperation to the Acting IGP and the Nigeria Police Force in the collective effort to secure lives and property.

It called on “all Muslims in the South West—and indeed all Nigerians—to rally behind the security agencies through credible information sharing, prayers, and active citizenship.”

It prayed that Allah (SWT) should grant Acting IGP Disu wisdom, good health, courage, and success in discharging his duties.

“May his leadership mark a turning point in the fight against insecurity and usher in an era of lasting peace, stability, and progress for our dear nation,” MUSWEN further supplicated.

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The post MUSWEN congratulates Acting IGP Disu, tasks him on insecurity appeared first on Frontpageng.

Another protester said: ‘’I am receiving N20,000 as pension after serving for 35 years. This is the receipt, how can anybody survive with this in Nigeria’s harsh economy, let alone take care of children and family?” A retired ASP also said: “I am receiving N22,000. And I was an ASP (Assistant Superintendent of Police) before I retired”.

That is the lot of most retired Police officers in Nigeria. After putting their lives on the line in service to their fatherland, many of them are left dejected and broken. They are unable to take care of themselves, not to talk of their families.

Few weeks back, a retired Superintendent of Police rejected his retirement benefits of just N2 million. But in doing so, he lamented his plight in a video posted on social media which immediately went viral. In the widely circulated video, the officer, who retired on October 1, 2023, expressed deep frustration over what he described as a meagre payout. He said that the Nigeria Police Pension Board recently informed him that his total retirement benefits had been approved at ₦3 million, an amount including ₦1 million in arrears covering the period from October 2023 to date, and ₦2 million as his full terminal benefit. The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, was forced to order a thorough investigation into the claims made by the retired officer after the police came under severe criticism on social media.

“‎The IGP has ordered a thorough investigation into the allegations raised in a viral video by a retired Superintendent of Police concerning the welfare and retirement benefits of police pensioners. The IGP has tasked the NPF Pensions Limited to urgently examine the claims, identify any possible lapses, and ensure that appropriate action is taken to address the concerns raised. ‎The Nigeria Police Force is not insensitive to the plight of its pensioners, many of whom dedicated their lives to the service and safety of our nation. The IGP views the welfare of both serving and retired officers as a priority and recognises that timely and adequate pension administration is crucial to sustaining morale and institutional integrity. While efforts have consistently been made to improve the pension system, the IGP acknowledges the importance of constructive feedback in prompting necessary reforms,” Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Force’s Public Relations officer said in a statement.

The protesting retirees are demanding to be placed under a Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS), similar to that enjoyed by the Nigerian Armed Forces (NAF) and the Department of State Services (DSS). Under the DBS, the pension is a predetermined amount, often based on the retiree’s final salary and years of service, and is paid entirely by the government. The retirees argue that this system provides more financial security to police officers in retirement.

READ ALSO: President Tinubu, 2027 and Buhari’s sad death, By Tunde Rahman

In addition to exiting the CPS, the retired officers are calling for the establishment of a dedicated Police Pensions Board to manage their pension affairs, similar to the Military Pension Board. They believe that this would ensure their unique needs and welfare are better addressed, unlike the current arrangement, where their funds are managed by the NPF Pensions Limited, a dedicated Pension Fund Administrator (PFA) for the police.

The National Pension Commission (PenCom) and the Pension Fund Operators Association of Nigeria (PenOp) however, contend that exiting the CPS would be financially unsustainable for the federal government, potentially creating a pension liability of trillions of Naira, which seems to prioritise government savings over the welfare of pensioners.

Already, a Bill for an Act to establish the Police Pension Board is currently before the National Assembly. It seeks to create a separate Board charged with the responsibility of paying pensions and gratuities to personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, including retirees who left service before the enactment of the law. Would the bill become law? Only time will tell.

One of the key motivations for establishing the CPS under the Pension Reform Act of 2004 (amended in 2014) was to address the persistent problems of the old Defined Benefits Scheme (DBS), including delays in payment, corruption, mismanagement, and the unsustainable financial burden it imposed on the government. Under the DBS, pension payments depended solely on budgetary allocations, and countless retirees were left without their entitlements for years. It was a system plagued by inefficiency, lack of transparency, and rampant fraud, as evidenced by the infamous Police Pension Task Team saga under Abdulrasheed Maina, which ended in financial scandal and worsened the plight of retirees.

Section 4(4) of the Pension Reform Act 2014 provides a legal pathway for enhancing retirement benefits without exiting the CPS. It allows any employer, including government agencies, to increase their pension contributions or offer additional benefits through an Approved Existing Scheme (AES) or Additional Benefits Scheme (ABS). Agencies such as the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and PenCom have all taken advantage of this provision to boost the post-service welfare of their personnel. For instance, the FRSC retains 40 per cent of its internally generated revenue for personnel welfare, including additional pension benefits. There is nothing stopping the NPF from adopting a similar formula.

The primary role of the police force is to uphold and enforce laws, investigate crimes and ensure security for people in the country. In many ways, the police are grossly incapacitated from playing that role. Most of the police stations across the country are in deplorable conditions. Yet, if the police must live up to its responsibilities, it must be adequately equipped. A force entrusted to secure the nation cannot perform in the face of antiquated equipment and low morale.  And the low morale is essentially a function of their monthly take home pay. Currently, in the police force, the salary of the lowest rank in the force – a Constable – ranges from N84,000 to N86,000. For a Sergeant, it is between N96,000 and N119,000; for an Inspector, between N167,000 and N254,000; for an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), it’s between N271,000 and N296,000. For a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), it’s around N321,000, while for a Superintendent of Police (SP), its N342,000. A Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) earns N419,000, while an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) earns N483,000. A Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) earns N531,000, and a Commissioner of Police (CP) earns N1.5 million.

It is from these meagre salaries that a fraction is deducted as CPS, while the police also set aside a fraction of those salaries to the PFAs. After retirement, what comes back to the retirees are so meagre that it cannot take care of a single adult for one week in Nigeria not to talk of an average man with a wife and children.

In truth, the conditions of the serving police officers is nothing to write home about. Most of their barracks are in a deplorable state. Many of them have to buy their own uniforms and boots.

Over the years, the federal government has established several panels and presidential committees to address areas of police reforms, including efficiency, accountability, and responsiveness. The challenge, however, is that while the promise to reform the police is loud, there is no indication that it is being seriously pursued even amidst the growing violence and insecurity across the country. That perhaps explains why many of the reports and recommendations of all the reforms committees are still gathering dust on the shelves.

Such recommendations include the recent endorsement of state police by critical stakeholders, including the 36 Governors and the President. Many retired senior police officers have also put their weight behind the idea of State Police on grounds that it would improve the management of internal security and the maintenance of law and order. The compelling argument is that such officers would have local knowledge of the environment and would be more effective in dealing with local crimes, protecting law and order, and in intelligence gathering.

The no-love-lost between the Police Service Commission and the Inspector-General of police is another sore issue that should be addressed. The Buhari administration planned to recruit 40,000 policemen in four years, but the first exercise to recruit 10,000 ended in a fiasco, as both parties could not agree on the modalities for the recruitment exercise. This is a shame that both parties should not be proud of.

While elected public officials who serve for only four years sometimes leave office with accumulated salaries that double what an average police officer would earn in a lifetime, their pensions for those four years of service are astronomical. Again, enhancing benefits within the existing CPS framework to address the concerns of retired officers as suggested by PenCom is viewed with suspicion by the pensioners.

When a person has been exploited throughout their working life by the very systems that are meant to protect them, it is only natural for them to be wary. Any system that potentially tinkers with their futures while prioritising the government’s finances over public welfare deserves to be frowned upon.

While it is true that the police are not everyone’s favourite due to constant human rights violations, bad attitudes towards the masses, and their dismal performances in most instances, it is important to understand that the issues that the pensioners are fighting for are central to the state of policing in the country. The police may not be everyone’s friend, but they are human beings who often risk their lives in service and deserve to be treated humanely and with dignity.

Addressing the concerns of the pensioners with honesty, sincerity, and the primary objective of improving their conditions will significantly boost the morale of police officers currently serving. And God knows we need more honest and upright Nigerians in the Force. Until we improve the salaries as well as the welfare of serving police officers, we would continue to have disgruntled police officers in service and even after their retirement.

In truth, the conditions of the serving police officers is nothing to write home about. Most of their barracks are in a deplorable state. Many of them have to buy their own uniforms and boots. It is no longer news that some police officers wear bathroom slippers while on duty, while some of them reek of alcohol most of the time. Years of neglect has taken a terrible toll on the psyche of the average policemen and they now take out their anger and frustration on the helpless masses they are employed to protect. But without adequately taking care of their welfare, we are still joking about tackling corruption in the force and in the country. If the welfare of the police is improved, it would attract the right calibre of Nigerians to the Force – those that would not be tempted to accept or demand for bribes and would be willing to uphold the law and order in the service of their fatherland.

See you next week.

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According to the spokesman of the Nigeria Police Force, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in a statement on Thursday, the IGP described the passage of the two “critical” bills as a milestone achievement with positive impact that will redefine the act of policing the country, standardize the training capacity of the Force, enhance police productivity and address the recurring pension related hardship.

He stressed that the removal of the Nigeria Police Force from the Contributory Pension Scheme and establishment of NPF Pension Board was a welcome development and would be resourceful in addressing the plight of Police retirees.

While acknowledging the doggedness and resilience of the National Assembly in the passage of the bills, the Inspector-General of Police commended the efforts of well-meaning Nigerians for their support and concern towards the passage of the bills which, he said, in no time would definitely attract the assent of the president for their full implementation.

The Police boss equally commended the steadfastness and patience of the retirees on the age-long battle of the pension palaver and assured that all hands were on deck to make the bills a reality.

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This is contained in a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, on Saturday in Abuja.

Adejobi said the redeployment was in line with the I-GP’s mandate and strategies to strengthen the operational structures of commands, departments and formations.

The affected AIGs, according to him are the AIG Zone 14, Katsina, Ahmed Abdulrahman; AIG Police Mobile Force, Ibrahim Ka’oje; AIG Special Protection Unit, Matthew Akinyosola; and AIG Zone 12 Bauchi, Sylvester Alabi.

Others are AIG Maritime Lagos, Yekini Ayoku; AIG Zone 13 Ukpo Dunukofia, Olofu Adejoh; AIG Zone 7 Abuja, Aliyu Garba; AIG ICT FHQ Abuja, Idris Dauda; AIG Research and Development, Yusuf Usman and AIG Zone 4 Makurdi, Haladu Ros-Amson.

“They also include AIG Zone 8 Lokoja, Babatunde Ishola; AIG Counter Terrorism Unit  Alexander Wannang; AIG Zone 2 Lagos, Ari Ali; AIG Zone 9 Umuahia, Mamman Umar; Commandant Police Academy, Wudil, Sadiq Abubakar and AIG FCID Annex Lagos, Frank Mba.

“The IGP also approved appointment of Benjamin N. Okolo as AIG Zone 16 Yenagoa; Oyediran Oyeyemi, AIG DTD FHQ Abuja; Babaji Sunday, AIG FCID Annex Kaduna; Arungwa Udo, AIG Zone 5 Benin and Yusuf Usman, as AIG Force Transport Officer.

“The IGP has charged all newly posted and redeployed officers to put their best foot forward in ensuring that the activities of their new commands, formations, and departments align with the Police reform mandate.

“He also tasked them to ensure compliance with all standard operating procedures in the discharge of their responsibilities.

“The posting is with immediate effect,” he said.

Source: NAN

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Balogun died in a Lagos hospital on Thursday.

In a statement by his media aide, Mr. Femi Adesina, the president said he also mourned with the Nigeria Police Force, an institution Balogun spent the better part of his life serving.

The president recalled that Tafa Balogun, during his tenure as IGP, “did his utmost to ensure that the police performed its statutory responsibilities under a democratic dispensation; and his penchant for boosting the morale of officers and men in the Force has been acknowledged by those who served under him.”

He said his thoughts were with the family, the government and people of Osun State, as well as colleagues and former colleagues of the deceased police chief.

He prayed for the peaceful repose of the soul of the departed.

The post Tafa Balogun: He did his best for the Nigeria Police Force -Buhari appeared first on Frontpageng.

The Administrative Officer, FPRO department, Benjamin Hundeyin, made this known in a statement issued on Saturday.

He takes over from Mr. Frank Mba who is going on an executive course at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, NIPSS, Kuru, Jos.

In the statement, Adejobi is described as an alumnus of the University of Ibadan where he studied Archeology and Geography (Combined Honours).

The statement reads in part: “He also holds a Master’s Degree in Peace and Conflict Studies from the same University. He was the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the Ogun State Command from 2008-2016; PPRO Zone 2 Headquarters, Onikan, Lagos, in 2016, and PPRO Lagos State Police Command between September 2020 and August 2021.

“CSP Olumuyiwa is an experienced communicator and image manager who has achieved great strides in his previous appointments.

“He is a member of several professional bodies and associations which include: Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR); International Public Relations Association (IPRA); Pointman Leadership Institute, USA; International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), USA; and the Institute of Corporate Administration, Nigeria.”

The post Olumuyiwa Adejobi is new Force Public Relations Officer appeared first on Frontpageng.

The car is a Ford brand with registration number EPE 707 FM.

He was said to have stolen the car in Lagos, but arrested on Friday, December 4, 2020.

According to the spokesman of the police command, DSP, Abimbola Oyeyemi, the car washer, Ayotunde, was arrested at Alakija Village via Olodo at about 8:17 a.m. by safer highway patrol team during a stop and search duty along Abeokuta/Ibadan Expressway.

Oyeyemi explained further: “The team stopped the car and demanded for its documents which the suspect was unable to produce, consequent upon which he was taken to Odeda Divisional Headquarters where the DPO, Ajayi Williams, personally interrogated the suspect and found out that he actually stole the car.

The suspect who claimed to be an OND holder from a polytechnic in one of south western states explained that he joined the car wash situated at Jimoh Bus Stop, Shasha Akowonjo in Lagos State not up to one month.

“He stated further that the owner of the car brought it for vacuum cleaning and handed over the key to him. Since they don’t have vacuum engine in their own car wash, he decided to take it to another car wash nearby but he changed his mind on the road and bolted away with the car.

“It was on his way to Ibadan where he intended to dispose the car that he was accosted by the policemen and subsequently arrested.

“The owner of the car, one Mrs. Shofidiya Tosin, who had reported the case at Shasha police station has been contacted and confirmed that the car was stolen from her.

“Meanwhile, the commissioner of police, Edward Awolowo Ajogun, has ordered the immediate transfer of the case to state criminal investigation and intelligence department for onward transfer to Lagos State command where the car was stolen.”

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The alleged shooting which occurred during a traffic stop in Apapa, Lagos, on April 13, 2019,  led to Ifeanyi’s death and left Ajomafuwe with injuries.

Ajomafuwe testified on Saturday before the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry for Restitution for Victims of SARS Related Abuses and Other Matters.

“I was driving my car and I was stopped by the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) at Apapa. The policemen claimed that I was signaled to stop and I said I was not aware of it.

“Due to the argument between me and the police, I was shot on the head by Insp. Dania Ojo while I was still inside the car.

“Ojo also shot my girlfriend on her leg and stomach.

“After the life-threatening gunshot injury on my head, I was lucky to survive while my girlfriend, the late Ada Ifeanyi, died in a hospital.

“There has been no condolence message or visit from the NPF to my family up till date to know if I’m still alive.

“No medical bills were paid by the NPF as promised by the Commissioner of Police when the incident happened,” he said.

Ajomafuwe said that stories of the alleged incident were published the following day by The Punch and The Guardian newspapers.

He said that six policemen were involved in the incident including Insp. Adamu Usman, Sgt. Kashim Tijani, Sgt. Lucky Akhigbe, Sgt. Paul Adeoye and Insp Dania Ojo.

“The police personnel ran away and left me to die when my girlfriend and I were shot.

“After three weeks, the policemen, who were arrested, resumed duty on that same street.

“The NPF swept the matter under the rug; no update has been received.  I still face issues of not sleeping at night without taking sleeping tablets,” he said.

The petitioner said he conducted a brain scan at the Reddington Hospital, Lagos, where he was admitted, and had done a medical checkup in Dubai to address his sleep issues.

He told the judicial panel that he had not been the same mentally since the alleged incident.

Ajomafuwe sought justice from the panel.

“I want the judicial panel to remind the NPF to ensure that Insp. Dania Ojo is punished and to remind them to fulfill their promise and offset my medical expenses,” he said.

Mr Joseph Eboseremem, counsel for the NPF, requested for an adjournment to cross-examine Ajomafuwe.

“He mentioned so many names here and I have not got the facts of those officers mentioned whether they are fictitious names,” Eboseremem said.

The chairman of the nine-man panel, retired Justice Doris Okuwobi, adjourned the  case until December 11 for cross-examination of  the petitioner.

Source: NAN

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Yet, without the police, security of lives and property will be grossly compromised, a reality which has placed Nigerians in a quandary.

So, what to do? Reform the institution and re-orientate its personnel. Nigerians unanimously agree that is the way to go. President Muhammadu Buhari does not disagree either. And his appreciation of this crisis and the urgency it demands is at the core of his vow to improve the welfare of Nigerian policemen.

But the problems are hydra-headed. Nigerian policemen have the misfortune of being paid very low wages. That is the biggest impediment against attracting skilled manpower into the force. As the common English idiom goes, “If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.”

Worse still, not only are police officers poorly remunerated while in active service, in retirement, they don’t fare any better because of the historically low wages.

So, any policy aimed at addressing police welfare must be fundamental and not superfluous. It must assuage the agitation for equitable pension package commensurate with what colleagues in other ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) get.

But the good news is that there are low hanging fruits which the government can harvest.

The average policeman is mortally afraid of the unknown: life after retirement. This fear informs most, if not all, of their most egregious conduct while in active service.

So, any attempt to address the welfare of the police must take a peep at the future. How can policemen be assured of a decent life after 35 years of service to fatherland?

Granted, there will always be bad apples, who, no matter what, will allow their greed overcome their sense of decency and fidelity to public good. But if policemen are assured of improved welfare in and out of service, it becomes a great disincentive for odious conduct.

To ensure that every worker is meaningfully rewarded at retirement, the Pension Reform Act 2014 reviewed upwards the minimum rate of pension contribution from 15 per cent to 18 per cent of monthly emolument, where 8 per cent will be contributed by employee and 10 per cent by the employer. Unfortunately, six years after, this has not been implemented.

And here, the Nigeria Police Force Pensions Limited – the Pension Fund Administrator (PFA) licensed by the National Pension Commission (PenCom) in accordance with the Pension Reform Act (PRA 2014) to exclusively manage the pension assets of all police personnel – has done a yeoman’s job in the last six years.

Even President Buhari acknowledged this fact on October 20, 2020 when he virtually commissioned the magnificent NPF Pensions House in Abuja, the first purpose-built corporate headquarters of any PFA in Nigeria.

Said he: “To the NPF Pensions Limited, I wish to applaud your company for instituting a Retirees Resettlement Support Scheme through which you provide some form of financial support to retired police officers to enable them to resettle fully in retirement after meritoriously serving the nation.

“Taking your services to the doorstep of police officers by maintaining an office in each police command and formation is also very laudable … I urge you to continue your untiring efforts in collaborating with the police authorities towards improving the welfare of both serving and retired personnel of the Nigeria Police Force.”

Both points are important. The NPF Pensions Limited is a child of necessity. The Nigerian government which modelled the country’s Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) after the Chilean scheme that exempted both the armed forces and the police, insisted that the police will be part of its own scheme while exempting the military.

Before 2014, policemen were scattered in all the other 20 PFAs and even when the authorities requested exemption, the government demurred, insisting that the police institution was so big that it was not in the best interest of the country to let policemen out of the pension loop.

So, NPF Pensions Limited was a compromise whereby instead of letting the police exit the pension scheme, the National Pensions Commission (PenCom) in 2014 licensed a PFA exclusively dedicated to serve the police with a vision “to be the benchmark in Pension Fund Administration in Nigeria.”

Its mission, “To provide quality customer and financial advisory services to stakeholders and adopt investment strategies that would yield the best possible returns on their pension assets,” was even more ambitious.

Prior to its establishment, a large number of policemen on the CPS were neither receiving statements on their Retirement Savings Accounts (RSA) nor had any communication with the PFAs, and, therefore, didn’t know what was happening to their accounts.

So, the first task of the new PFA was to get in touch with their clients by locating policemen wherever they were in Nigeria. Offices were set up in all the 56 police formations and commands across the country.

Working also through the police pension offices and six regional offices with pension desk officers, NPF Pensions took their services directly to the officers wherever they are located.

To ensure that issues are addressed instantly, all the 62 offices are online, real time. It was a strategic move that not only eased the access of police officers to information, but also dramatically eased the stress of documentation by creating awareness.

For the first time, policemen could make enquiries on their Retirement Savings Account (RSA) from the comfort of their offices or homes by making use of self-service channels.

NPF Pensions strongly believes that the implementation of the 10 per cent employer contribution for the police will significantly enhance an officer’s RSA balance on retirement and is, therefore, pushing hard for its implementation.

The goal was to ensure that every client was treated with respect and given priority attention regardless of rank. Then, the PFA ensured that policemen whose RSAs were either unfunded or underfunded were fully funded.

The result is phenomenal. Though the NPF Pensions is the 21st PFA to be licensed and came 10 years after the 20 others began operations in 2004, today, it is one of the five most performing PFAs in the country.

Though it has received as at September 30, 2020, N240.93 billion as transfers for 259,831 contributors, its assets under management as at October 31, 2020 stood at N630.23 billion. For accrued rights, it has received N62.90 billion and paid retirement benefits worth N50.27 to 18,422 retirees. A total of N1.51 billion has also been dispensed under the Retiree Resettlement Support Scheme (RRSS) to 10,400 retired officers while N4.46 billion was paid as death benefits to 1,173 next-of-kin of deceased officers. N523.12 million was paid as programmed withdrawal to 15,855 retired clients in October 2020.

The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, appreciates what the PFA has accomplished in so short a time. “NPF Pensions Limited has become one of the most successful companies to be established in the Nigeria Police Force,” by placing, within six years of existence, the footprint of the police in the pension industry, he said.

To be fair, assenting to the Bill establishing the Police Trust Fund as well as the Nigerian Police Act 2020, both of which address welfare issues in the police, are testimonies to Buhari’s commitment to reforming the police for optimal service delivery through an enhanced welfare system.

But the NPF Pensions has, nevertheless, come up with various policy proposals to improve the welfare of serving and retired officers, which the government has not given commensurate attention.

Those suggestions are the low hanging fruits Buhari must harvest now.

The PFA has made a case for the upward review of the accrued rights of police retirees to address low lump sum and low monthly pension and the recognition and treatment of police officers from the rank of assistant inspector-general of police (AIG) and above as public office holders who should retire with full benefits just like permanent secretaries, pursuant to Section 7 of the Pension Reform Act.

Buhari’s approval has also been sought for special gratuity for police retirees at the rate of 300 per cent of annual gross salary upon retirement so that the balances in their Retirement Savings Accounts (RSAs) will be channeled towards monthly pension payments and to bring them at par with their peers in the public service.

The request was anchored on Section 4 (4) of the Pension Reform Act which provides that an employer, notwithstanding the provisions of the Act, may agree on the payment of additional benefits to the employee upon retirement.

And the PFA has advocated for a separate budgeting and remittance of accrued rights for police officers, arguing that grouping the police with other MDAs makes the process cumbersome. This is actually the big elephant in Nigeria’s pension room.

Many retired officers can’t understand why they have to wait for months to access their retirement benefits and most times they blame, wrongly, their PFA for their ordeal. But the delay results from the inability of the government to release the accrued rights as and when due.

On police welfare, NPF Pensions has workable solutions and has the president’s back. All Buhari needs do is walk his talk by approving the policy proposals already on his table.

The contributory pension scheme comprises 7.5 per cent deducted from the salary of a public servant and the counterpart 7.5 per cent contributed by the employer – the government – and the accrued rights derived from the services such an officer rendered to the government.

Abuja’s inability to pay the accrued rights promptly is due to poor finances. Before the CPS was introduced in 2004, the accumulated pension liability was over N2 trillion for the public sector alone.

But the PFA is bridging this gap by providing its clients with quality financial advisory services and management continues to reinvent itself by adopting investment strategies that would yield the best possible returns on pension assets, which it then deploys in ensuring that retirees have better value for their contributions.

It does this by utilising a portion of the annual profit as a welfare package – Retirement Resettlement Support Scheme (RRSS) – for retirees before their retirement benefits are paid.

The N500 million RRSS, a corporate social responsibility scheme, is not part of its mandate. In fact, till date, it remains the only PFA that gives back to its clients and it has become the ultimate game changer in the industry since it was approved by the NPF Pensions Board in 2017.

For Buhari to have singled out the RRSS for commendation in his October 20 speech, amplifies its significance.

But police retirees, nevertheless, expect their benefits to be promptly paid after retirement.

Unbundling the accrued rights remittance process as requested by NPF Pensions will solve this problem.

To ensure that every worker is meaningfully rewarded at retirement, the Pension Reform Act 2014 reviewed upwards the minimum rate of pension contribution from 15 per cent to 18 per cent of monthly emolument, where 8 per cent will be contributed by employee and 10 per cent by the employer. Unfortunately, six years after, this has not been implemented.

NPF Pensions strongly believes that the implementation of the 10 per cent employer contribution for the police will significantly enhance an officer’s RSA balance on retirement and is, therefore, pushing hard for its implementation.

On police welfare, NPF Pensions has workable solutions and has the president’s back. All Buhari needs do is walk his talk by approving the policy proposals already on his table.

Will that give Nigeria a police force populated by angels? Not at all. Angels live in heaven. But it will significantly point the personnel to the direction of a different work ethics and policing worldview.

In repositioning the police, both the president and the police apparatchik have an ally in the NPF Pensions. If they listen, they may well find out that most problems bedeviling the police have solutions already proffered by the PFA.

That is why everything must be done to preserve its one-client status because NPF Pensions Limited is the best advocate for enhanced police welfare.

Policemen are better off if they speak with one voice. And their PFA gives them that collective voice and the leverage they need. Doing otherwise through the transfer window will run against the spirit of the PRA 2014. It will also be counterproductive.

*Amaechi, a journalist, is a pensions expert

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The woman, according to the spokesman of the police in Ogun State, Abimbola Oyeyemi, is a resident of 36 Isoka, Kugba, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

The suspect was arrested at about 8:30am on Monday, November 23, following a complaint by one of her neighbours who came to Adatan police station with the little boy.

Oyeyemi said the boy’s body was full of injuries inflicted on him with a hot knife and cutlass.

While the report was being lodged, the boy fainted at the station and was quickly rushed to a hospital for medical attention.

On the strength of the report, the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, Adatan Division, CSP Samuel Aladegoroye, detailed his detectives to the woman’s house where she was promptly arrested.

On interrogation, the suspect explained that the little boy is a son to her brother-in-law and he has been living with her for some time.

She stated further that she kept the sum of N5,000 somewhere in the house but couldn’t find it and she believed that it was the boy who stole it.

She said that was why she put a knife on fire until it was red hot before she used it to burn the little boy all over his body.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Edward Awolowo Ajogun, has ordered the transfer of the case to anti-human trafficking and child labour unit of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for further investigation and prosecution.

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