Retired Police Officers Threatened To Join Bokoharam, Burn PENCOM Office Over Unpaid Gratuities, Meagre Pension

A retired Deputy Superintendent of Police, Ilyasu Aliyu has threatened to go and join the the terror group, Bokoharam and burn down Pension commission office in Abuja if his gratuity is refused to be paid and his monthly pension reviewed.

This was said during a protest by some group of retired Police officers who stormed the national assembly to protest their unpaid gratuities and the meagre monthly pension being paid to them.

The protesting retired officers also demanded the creation of Police pension board which will make their gratuity and pension to be removed from the Pension commission (PENCOM).

While speaking with journalists, the officers decry the manner with which they are being treated noting that the they are the only ones being treated like that as their counterparts who retired from other sister agencies are being taken care of properly.

Ilyasu while speaking said, “we are not leaving here until our gratuity is paid to us. I will not go back to Nasarawa until my gratuity is paid to me. I am not begging the federal government, what I’m asking for is my right and I’m ready to die, and if they don not respond, i will go and join Bokoharam, i will become an instructor there.

“I retired since 2019 and I haven’t received my full gratuity. They paid me 2.1 million and 35, 000 naira monthly as a retired DSP when my counterpart in the Nigerian Army are collecting 300,000 naira. I am not leaving, the jungle has already matured. This is day two, we are going to PENCOM office, we are going to burn that office. Even if Tinubu comes here, I will talk to him,” he said.

James Isele, a retired Assistant Superintendent of Police from Bayelsa said hunger can push them to crime. He said, ” these are people you have trained with gun, they know how to shoot gun, prepare a gun and can equally service a gun. They left us and hunger is killing us. Hunger can push us to go and commit. If Bokoharam come to me and promise to pay 500,000 as monthly salary, I will be convinced to follow them.

Yahaya Ochavera Shuaibu from Kogi, a retired DSP said Police pension board should be established and they should pay retired police officers as retire Army, Navy and Air Force are being paid. “They should pay us 89% as they are paying them,” he said.

While responding on the state of the police pension board bill, the Senate Committee chairman on police affairs, Sen. Yunusa Akintunde said the bill is still in progress and since it has to do with figures and numbers m, there’s little he can talk about because there are financial implications which has to be considered. However, he said why they are asking for is their right and that with their support, the Senate can get there.

Also, the House of rep committee chairman on police affairs, Hon. Abubakar Maki Eleman who expressed shock on seeing the protesting officers stressed that the house is on top of the bill. He said, “We are on top of it, we are even waiting to call for a public hearing before we pass the bill. I’m surprised to see them here because we have a good relationship with them. My office is always open to them, we interact and I expect at least that their leadership to find out the stage of the bill before hitting the street.”

Other protesting officers who spoke to journalists complained that they are suffering and that they are tired of the fake promises being made to them whenever they come protesting and demanding for their rights.

Umar Danbature who expressed sadness over his unpaid gratuity said he is suffering and what what PENCOM is doing to them is not good at all. “I have been receiving 20, 00 naira as pension and I’m always thinking of how to survive. My gratuity hasn’t been paid fully till today, nothing to write home about. We have been coming here and it is just promises upon promises, nothing has been done.

Muhammed Auwal Maigari, a retired SOPOL from Kaduna who accused the Inspector General of Police of convincing the National Assembly to retain retired police officers’ gratuities and pension under PENCOM said they are tired of fake promises every time they come protesting and that all their very soon has never come.

The protesting retired Police officers carried various placards with different inscriptions.