Ex-CP Urges Swift Implementation of Pension Reforms for Police Retirees

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Fatai Owoseni, a former commissioner of police, has urged the government to implement President Bola Tinubu’s proposed pension reforms for police retirees without delay. According to him, the reforms would restore confidence among retirees and resolve the lingering dispute over the Contributory Pension Scheme.

He stated that the proposed "Option B" offered the most practical solution to improve the welfare of retired police officers. Owoseni, who retired from the Nigeria Police Force in January 2019 after 35 years of service, disclosed that the Inspector-General had initiated efforts to harmonise the demands of the various groups of retired police officers before presenting a unified position to the President.

The reconciliation efforts, he said, have yielded significant progress, with most factions now supporting the proposed pension reform. About 98.5 per cent of retired police officers under the Contributory Pension Scheme now support the proposal, provided the Federal Government fulfils its commitments.

Owoseni called on the Federal Government to direct the Ministry of Finance and the National Pension Commission to ensure that the approved improvements are reflected promptly in retirees’ monthly pension payments. He also urged the National Pension Commission to safeguard the funds managed by the Nigeria Police Force Pension Fund Administrator, alleging that vested interests were attempting to take control of the fund because of its size.

“The good intention of Mr President should be expeditiously turned into reality. If by August or September retirees begin to see improvements in their bank alerts, it will demonstrate good faith. Many police retirees no longer trust government because of what they experienced during service,” Owoseni said.

He urged aggrieved officers to embrace dialogue rather than confrontation, acknowledging the constitutional right of retirees to peaceful protest. Owoseni criticised the continued street protests by a faction of the retirees, describing actions such as blocking major roads, insulting serving and retired senior police officers, and issuing ultimatums to the President as inconsistent with the discipline expected of former police officers.