By Luminous Jannamike
ABUJA – Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has again accused President Bola Tinubu of abandoning retired police officers to a failing pension system, despite their years of service protecting Nigerians.
Atiku said it was unacceptable that officers who risked their lives to keep the country safe now had to stage daily protests at the National Pension Commission, PenCom, to demand the benefits they earned in service.
In a statement by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council, Atiku described the situation as disgraceful, questioning how a government that deploys police officers to protect the powerful could fail to secure their welfare after retirement.
“If police officers who served this country must endure humiliation to demand a fair pension, what hope is there for other Nigerians who have spent their working lives in public service?” he asked.
The ADC presidential candidate said he was troubled by the protests and had directed his team to meet with the affected officers to hear their grievances firsthand.
He also faulted Tinubu for failing to act on the Police Exit Bill, which, according to the statement, had remained on the President’s desk since March.
Atiku accused the administration of treating police officers as expendable, recalling that many spent their careers protecting Nigerians, including political office holders, only to be abandoned when they needed government support most.
To address the situation, he said his proposed Police Dignity Guarantee Plan would prioritise the welfare and retirement security of law enforcement personnel through prompt action on the Police Exit Bill, restoration of gratuity for police officers and implementation of the Police Pension Board Bill.
“Insecurity cannot be defeated while those who protect the country are denied security in retirement. My Police Dignity Guarantee Plan will ensure that officers who serve Nigeria are properly supported throughout their careers and are not abandoned when they retire,” Atiku said.
He pledged to implement the Police Pension Board Bill within 30 days of taking office, adding that his administration would seek to make Nigeria affordable again and restore dignity to those who had devoted their lives to national service.
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