Daud Olatunji
The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has proposed a 200 per cent gratuity and improved pension benefits for retired police officers as part of efforts to address longstanding welfare challenges in the Nigeria Police Force.
Disu disclosed this on Sunday in Abuja, explaining that the proposal was before a presidential committee established to examine the concerns of police personnel and recommend sustainable solutions to the force’s pension crisis.
The proposal, if approved, could significantly improve retirement benefits for eligible officers, including those who have repeatedly demanded an exit from the Contributory Pension Scheme.
However, the IGP cautioned that the proposed 200 per cent gratuity was not yet an approved benefit, stressing that its implementation would depend on the committee’s recommendations, government approval, funding arrangements and relevant guidelines.
According to him, the committee comprises representatives of the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, the Budget Office of the Federation and the National Pension Commission.
Disu said the proposed arrangement was designed to provide more adequate retirement benefits, settle outstanding pension liabilities and improve the administration of pension payments for retired police personnel.
“Under the proposed arrangement, eligible officers can retire on pension benefits linked to their last salaries, alongside the enhanced gratuity,” he said.
The IGP added that the proposed reforms would not be restricted to officers retiring after the new framework takes effect, as the committee was also considering provisions to review the benefits of those who had already retired.
He explained that the measure was intended to address complaints by pensioners over inadequate payments, delayed disbursements and administrative bottlenecks that had affected their welfare for years.
Disu said President Bola Tinubu’s intervention in the police pension crisis had raised expectations among retired officers who had continued to demand a more sustainable retirement arrangement.
He noted that access to timely pension payments was particularly important for retirees struggling to meet household expenses, medical bills and other financial obligations amid rising living costs.
The police chief further disclosed that the Federal Government had cleared the backlog of pension payments that previously left some retired officers waiting for as long as two years.
He said the government had also introduced a pension increment, with some beneficiaries now receiving almost twice their previous payments.
According to Disu, sustained engagement between the presidency, PenCom and other relevant institutions would be crucial to ensuring that the proposed reforms translated into lasting improvements in officers’ retirement conditions.
“The committee is expected to recommend measures on outstanding liabilities, funding arrangements and benefit administration,” he said.
He added that the committee would develop a framework for resolving pension-related challenges and strengthening coordination among the institutions responsible for pension policy, funding and administration.
The proposed reform comes amid persistent concerns over the welfare of serving and retired police personnel, particularly demands for a review of the Contributory Pension Scheme and improved retirement packages.
Disu, however, reiterated that the proposal remained under consideration and should not be interpreted as an existing entitlement.
The final decision, he said, would depend on the outcome of the committee’s deliberations and the necessary government approvals.
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