I know it is hard, but one must feel sorry for Nigerian police officers. The historical under-appreciation, underpayment, terrible working conditions, exploitation by their superiors and the system that is supposed to protect them, chronic equipment shortages, unnecessary risks, and emotional damage incurred in the line of duty are all significant issues. Yet, in retirement, they are treated even worse.
The recent protest by retired police officers across the country, demanding their removal from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) because the scheme leaves them with meagre and insufficient pensions that will eventually lead to poverty, is painful to witness.
How one can dedicate decades to high-risk service for their country and end up earning N22,000 or less in pension speaks volumes about how we treat those who have given their best years to serve and protect us. The forced enrolment of retirees into the CPS, established by the Pension Reform Act of 2004, means that both the employer and employee contribute a percentage of the officer’s monthly salary into a Retirement Savings Account (RSA). Upon retirement, the officer receives a lump sum from the RSA, with the remainder paid out as a monthly pension.
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However, for the retired officers, the lump sum and subsequent monthly payments are “paltry” and fail to provide a dignified standard of living. For instance, some retired senior officers have reported receiving as little as N2.4 million (approximately $5,000 USD at official rates) as a lump sum after 35 years of service, with monthly pensions insufficient to cover basic needs. Some junior officers have earned far less. This means they cannot even use the lump sum to become homeowners and live out the rest of their days without worrying about rent. They realistically cannot use it to settle debts, take care of immediate family needs, or start any business to sustain themselves and their loved ones. Considering that some have served for 30 years only to end up in such a situation is heartbreaking.
We are all aware of the retirement plight of pensioners in Nigeria, particularly those who have worked in public service. From the 1980s and 90s to the present, recurring images on TV have shown retired railway workers and teachers lining up like prisoners for days to process their pensions. Stories of many dying in those lines due to stress and neglect were so rampant that many Nigerians became disinterested in putting in their best efforts in the service of the country. Ultimately, those who chose to serve resolved to do whatever it took, often including dishonest means, to accumulate enough to avoid ending up in poverty, dying under the sun in lines with elderly individuals who should have been enjoying their retirement.
For the police, the situation is even worse. Their life in service is dismal. For decades, police barracks have symbolised the neglect that Nigeria inflicts on its citizens. They are squalid, grime-ridden edifices of shame where police officers are forced to live. Their treatment is no better than that of animals in the kennels of traffickers.
When frustrated individuals, compelled to live such lives in service to their country, are released from their kennels, armed with assault rifles and sent out to the streets, it is unsurprising that they might turn their guns on innocent civilians over meagre sums. When a desperate man cannot feed his family and meet their immediate needs, and his future promises even less in retirement benefits, what do you realistically expect?
The message we are sending to serving police officers through this protest and the handling of the pension situation of retired officers serves as a warning that their futures are bleak and they should do whatever they can to save for the rainy days ahead. Where are they to reap this from? The average Nigerian going about his legitimate business.
The protesting retirees are demanding to be placed under a Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS), similar to that enjoyed by the Nigerian Armed Forces and the Department of State Services (DSS). Under a 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 in retirement.
In addition to exiting the CPS, the retired officers are also calling for the establishment of a dedicated “Police Pension Board” to manage their pension affairs, similar to the Military Pension Board. They believe this would ensure their unique needs and welfare are better addressed, unlike the current arrangement where their funds are managed by 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) 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.
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. The question of fairness, balance, and proportionate pay for commensurate service has never been our strong suit, leading us to question the validity of these claims. 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 of any system that promises to tinker with their futures while prioritising the government’s finances over public welfare.
I know the police are not everyone’s favourite due to constant human rights violations, attitudes towards many Nigerians, and their dismal performances in most instances. However, it is important to understand that the issues 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. Treating police pensioners this way sends the wrong message to everyone.