After 35 years of policing, 24 officers of the Lagos State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba, Lagos, have begun a new chapter of their lives, but not without concerns over the welfare of those leaving the Nigeria Police Force.

The retirees, who were celebrated at a ceremony at the Panti headquarters, reflected on decades of service marked by sacrifice, long hours and personal risks, while appealing to the government to improve the welfare and retirement benefits of police personnel.

The event was given added significance by the presence of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), who visited the department to celebrate with the retiring officers and reassured them that leaving active service did not mean leaving the police family.

Addressing the retirees, the IGP said: “You are still police officers. For life, you are police officers. And we’ll continue to take care of your welfare. I wish you the best anywhere you go. Thank you so much.”

His words offered reassurance to officers whose years of service had been devoted to protecting others, even as some of the retirees spoke candidly about the financial realities awaiting them after retirement.

Earlier, the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Panti, Dayo Akinbisehin, described the 24 officers as men and women who had devoted decades to the protection of society.

He said their 35 years of service represented “hundreds of thousands of hours of an unblemished career”, including working night shifts, in heavy rain and on public holidays while their families remained at home.

Akinbisehin said the officers had played crucial roles in the investigation of complex and sensitive cases handled by the SCID, describing Panti as the highest investigation police department in Lagos State.

“Society often judges the police by statistics and response times. But as your immediate boss, I know the real metrics of your job, the demands, responsibilities and danger inherent in your daily investigative activities,” he said.

He added that the retirees had worked behind the scenes, painstakingly gathering evidence and pursuing suspects to ensure that justice was served, sometimes at considerable risk to their own safety.

While celebrating the officers, Akinbisehin also acknowledged the sacrifices made by their families, saying spouses, children and friends had endured long nights, missed celebrations and prolonged absences whenever duty called.

He urged the retirees to remain connected to the Force, assuring them that Panti would continue to be their home.

“From now, you do not have to rush down to police duties. The weight is finally off your shoulders. You have run the race, you have fought the good fight, and you have kept the faith,” he said.

“Go home to your families, enjoy your freedom, and may God bless you all in your retirement.”

But beneath the celebration was a recurring concern: whether decades of service would translate into adequate financial security in retirement.

One of the retirees, DSP Benson Emuerie, described his 35-year career as challenging but fulfilling, saying he joined the police primarily to serve humanity.

Emuerie, who worked in the Prosecution Department, recalled intervening in disputes involving relatively small sums of money, including cases involving as little as N5,000, which could otherwise have escalated.

However, he said police officers remained poorly appreciated in Nigeria and called for stronger government support for both serving and retired personnel.

He was particularly critical of disparities in retirement benefits between the police and other security services.

According to him, he would leave active service as a DSP with an exit payment of about N2.5 million, while a military counterpart could receive between N10 million and N15 million.

“What am I working for if I can’t send my first son to the university?” he asked, calling for government intervention, including scholarships or reduced school fees for children of police officers.

Another retiree, DSP Rita Momah, said her 35 years in the Force exposed her to both good and difficult experiences, which she described as lessons that shaped her career.

She recalled waking as early as 4 a.m. and combining buses and motorcycles to get to work, saying she rose to the rank of DSP without knowing anyone in a position to influence her career.

Now that she has retired, Momah said she intended to devote more time to her family.

“The next thing is to be a nanny for my children. I won’t say I have any business I’m doing, so I will go to my children and enjoy my life,” she said.

She advised younger officers, particularly women, to remain committed to their duties, saying dedication would eventually bring rewards.

“I have no reason to condemn police work. You will end well if you start well,” she said.

Similarly, retired Station Officer Udoh Patrick described his career as a mixture of “ease and difficulty” and urged serving officers to maintain good conduct, build positive relationships with members of the public, remain humble and embrace honesty.

He also called for greater public trust in the police and better career progression within the Force.

“It is difficult to imagine how someone will serve for years and remain stagnant in one rank. There should be improvement from the top to the lowest,” he said.

The ceremony therefore ended on a note that was both celebratory and reflective: after 35 years of standing between society and danger, the retirees could finally step away from the demands of police duty.

But their stories also underscored the need for the government to ensure that those who spend their working lives protecting the country can retire with dignity and financial security.