The Integrity Youth Alliance, an organisation monitoring the development trends in the Nigeria Police Force for over 15 years, has lambasted the Chairman of the Kaduna State Chapter of the Association of Retired Police Officers under the CPS, CSP Manir Lawal (retd.), for his baseless accusation against the person of the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
Reacting to a publication in Punch Newspaper dated 26th February 2025, titled “Retired cops protest, reject IG’s role in pension dispute,” the National Coordinator of the Alliance, Kelvin Adegbnega, said that it is on record that the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, said that the current pension scheme is inadequate and fails to provide a financially secure life for retired police officers.
“It is unfair for the Chairman of the Kaduna State Chapter of the Association of Retired Police Officers under the CPS, CSP Manir Lawal (retd.), to have said that the IGP should step aside from matters concerning their removal from the Contributory Pension Scheme.
“IGP Egbetokun has done a lot to address police pension concerns, such as the interactive session with retired police officers and stakeholders in February 2025; established a committee to review the pension matters and propose recommendations for reforms; acknowledged the challenges of the current scheme and the need to address them; and stressed the importance of creating a sustainable framework that meets the needs of retired officers and their families, Adegbenga said.
“There is no doubt that Egbetokun’s goal of the reforms is to ensure that retired police officers receive the respect and benefits they deserve.
“At the interactive session with retired police officers on pension matters at the Police Resource Centre, Jabi, Abuja, the IGP Egbetokun described the current pension arrangement as inadequate, leaving many pensioners in distress after years of dedicated service, so how can CSP Manir Lawal (retd.) say that the IG of Police is interfering in a matter that should solely be handled by the National Assembly?
“Egbetokun is an advocate of meaningful reforms. His reform would not only improve the financial security of retirees but also motivate serving officers for better service delivery.
“We make bold to say that the Inspector General of Police, IGP Egbetokun, is not interfering in a matter that should solely be handled by the National Assembly, Adegbenga said.
