Federal Govt at loggerheads with Police over creation of Police Pension Board
Federal Govt at loggerheads with Police over creation of Police Pension Board
The move by the Nigerian Senate to amend a bill for establishing the Nigeria Police Pension Board has pitted the federal government and the Nigeria Police Force against each other, with each advancing reasons for and against the bill for managing police pensions.
Serving and retired officers of the Nigeria Police Force are vehement in their resolve to withdraw from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), which was enacted in 2004. They complain that the scheme’s meagre pension payments are too little to cover the average retiree and that pension savings have been mismanaged. The police say they want a board administered by force personnel in line with the military, SSS, and NIA.
Speaking through the National Pension Commission (PenCom) at a public hearing on “The Bill Seeking to Exit the Nigerian Police Force from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS),” the federal government said the move is unsustainable and would lead the country back to the dark days of unpaid pensions.
Commissioner of administrations at PenCom Farouk Aminu, who represented the Director General of PenCom, said police personnel’s concerns regarding pension adequacy “are valid but do not warrant an exemption from the CPS” since there are ample mechanisms to address the issue of enhancing retirement benefits.
PenCom has consistently proposed practical solutions, including increasing pension contribution rates, offering additional retirement benefits, and implementing periodic pension reviews under the existing CPS framework. The measures are designed to enhance the financial well-being of retired police personnel without compromising fiscal discipline or administrative efficiency.
Chairman of the committee on establishment and public servant, Senator Cyril Faseri, representing Ekiti North in the Senate, said the amendment aims to ensure that the retired police officers receive the pensions they deserve. “Our police officers who put their lives on the line to protect Nigeria need to be taken care of. We value your input and opinion, which will help shape the legislation on the bill. It will better help to ascertain the needs of Police officers in formulating the bill,” Faseri stated.
The bill’s sponsor, Senator Binos Dauda Yaroe, who represents Adamawa South, said it was regrettable that despite their importance, police officers are left in the CPS against what’s obtained in the Military, SSS, NIA, and others.
Under the current arrangement, a retired commissioner of police takes a misery of N70,000, a deputy commissioner of N50,000, and an assistant commissioner of police gets about N30,000 retirement benefits in a month. “This is by any account shameful,” Yaroe stated.
Chief executive officer of Pension Fund Operators Association of Nigeria (PenOp) Oguche Agudah said leaving the contributory pension scheme would mean leaving the frying pan to fire because their pension would come from budgetary allocation. “So leaving the scheme is not the solution because it’s not sustainable,” he said yesterday in Abuja, adding, “If the police are going to leave this scheme, they will need at least N3.5 trillion today invested every year, at least 10% a year for them to be able to pay the pensions for about 400,000 police.”
Director of Technical Services from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Oyedeji Ibrahim, said the office aligns with PenCom’s position to keep the police in the contributory pension scheme.
The bill was passed at the tail end of the 9th Senate. Still, it was only made to pass through the House of Representatives for concurrence after the end of the last administration, warranting its representation for legislative action.
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Report any officer asking for money for release of suspect as Police insist bail is free
Report any officer asking for money for release of suspect as Police insist bail is free
The Police Command in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has insisted that bail is free, and called on the public to report any officer asking for money to release a suspect on bail.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the FCT, SP Josephine Adeh, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.
Adeh spoke in reaction to public outcry that some police officers were demanding money to release suspects on bail in the territory.
She said the report of the erring officers would serve as a deterrent to others, adding that it was fraudulent to demand for money to release a suspect on bail.
Adeh blamed the yielding to such fraudulent demand on ignorance on the part of the victims who refused to stand on their rights.
“A similar case was reported where an officer demanded money to release a suspect on bail and when the matter was reported, we requested for evidence from the victim.
“The evidence was provided because the money was transferred to the officer’s account and actions are being taken on the issue.
“So, I encourage the public to take advantage of the FCT Police Complaint Response Unit (CRU) lines on 08107314192 to report such misconduct with evidence,” she said.
Adeh urged the public to always insist on their rights and refuse any form of payment to release a suspect on bail.(NAN)
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Former President sentenced to five years in prison by Court
Former President sentenced to five years in prison by Court
South Korea’s former president Yoon Suk Yeol was on Friday sentenced to five years in prison for obstruction of justice.
The Seoul Central District Court found that the 65-year-old conservative, with the help of the presidential security service, had tried to prevent his own arrest and deleted multiple documents related to the investigation against him.
Yoon shocked the nation by imposing martial law on December 3, 2024, amid a budget dispute with the opposition, plunging the country into a political crisis.
He justified the drastic measure as necessary to protect South Korea’s democratic order and accused the left-leaning opposition of being infiltrated by communists with ties to China and North Korea, though he provided no evidence for these claims.
In a separate trial, prosecutors have sought the death penalty for Yoon on charges of incitement, with a verdict expected on February 19.
While the death penalty remains legally in force in South Korea, it has not been carried out for nearly 30 years.
Yoon’s actions previously alarmed international investors and led to withheld investments, damaging the reputation of South Korea as a political and economic model for the region.
Since last summer, South Korea has been led by President Lee Jae Myung, a left-leaning centrist and long-time political rival of Yoon. (dpa/NAN)
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JUST IN; Imam that famously shielded 262 Christians from death during Plateau attack is dead
JUST IN; Imam that famously shielded 262 Christians from death during Plateau attack is dead
The Imam of Nghar village, Abubakar Abdullahi in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, who famously sheltered 262 Christians during communal violence, has passed away.
The Imam’s Son Saleh Abubakar, confirmed the development to Daily Trust on Friday, saying that the cleric died on Thursday night at the Plateau Specialist Hospital in Jos.
The Son said, his father “died ten days after he was admitted” in the hospital.
“He was initially diagnosed with a heart problem. He’d go for check-ups and return. His health hadn’t been stable since the heart disease diagnosis.”
Imam Abubakar died at the age of 90. He is survived by 19 children – 12 sons and seven daughters.
Tecall that in June 2018, during violent, faith-based communal clashes that affected 10 villages in Barkin Ladi, Imam Abubakar sheltered 262 Christians in his mosque and residence until the violence subsided, saving them from certain death.
His courage earned him widespread recognition, including the International Religious Freedom Award presented by the United States Department of State in 2019.
The late cleric will be laid to rest on Friday (today) in Nghar village after the Juma’at prayers.
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