SINCE its inception, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) Pensions has disbursed over N97.5 billion in benefits to about 30,370 retirees.Its Acting Managing Director, Abdulkareem Gezawa, revealed this at the 2026 pre-retirement enlightenment seminar in Lagos, saying that monthly, the force pays over N1.5 billion to 25,572 retirees.

For officers who died in active service, he said, since inception, the force had paid over N39.5 billion as death benefits to about 8,847 next-of-kin. Gezawa affirmed the agency’s commitment to prompt payment of retirement benefits to all serving police officers. He said the first pre-retirement enlightenment seminar held in the Southwest for officers who would retire this year is expected to go round the other geopolitical zones, urging retirees to prioritise proper documentation and actively participate in the seminar’s sessions.

He said delays in payments stem from incomplete or untimely submission of required documents, warning that some funds remain unclaimed for this reason.
Speaking on the importance of the programme, Director, NPF Pensions, Lydia Ameh, said it helps to get the aspiring retirees prepare ahead of time, let them know what they need to do, especially in the aspect of documentation, and also help to get their medicals to ensure they are in good health after retirement.

Ameh, who is also an Assistant Commissioner of Police and Force Insurance Officer, commended the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, on the initiative and his commitment to the welfare of officers, both serving and retired. She said the police boss ensures aspiring retirees are fully equipped both before and after retirement.

Earlier, the Deputy Commissioner of Police overseeing Pensions at Force Headquarters in Abuja, Yusuf Doki, described the seminar as an essential platform for emotional, psychological, and financial preparation for life after service. He pointed out that retirement often overlaps with ageing and health issues, making early planning vital.

RELATEDLY, the Civil Society Forum for Police Reform has again called on the Federal Government and the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force to uphold the rule of law by complying with subsisting court judgments ordering the reinstatement of illegally retired police officers.

Speaking at a press conference in Lagos at the weekend, the forum, led by Ibrahim Ilyasu, claimed that despite clear and unambiguous pronouncements by the National Industrial Court (NIC), the IGP and the Police Service Commission (PSC) have reportedly continued to act in defiance of judicial authority, thereby undermining police reform efforts and national security.
The body recalled that the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, sitting in Abuja, in Suit No: NICN/ABJ/28/2025, presided over by Justice R. B. Hasstrup, ordered the immediate reinstatement of senior police officers from Courses 18, 19, and 20, who were “unlawfully and forcefully retired by the Nigeria Police Force and the Police Service Commission.”

The affected officers, represented in court by ACP Chinedu Emengaha, ACP Victor Chilaka, ACP Egwu Otu, CSP Sylvester Ebosele, CSP Sunday Okuguni, CSP Asuquo Inyang, CSP Kalu Chikozie, and CSP Adetu Omoteso, successfully established that they were retired without due process and had not attained the mandatory retirement age stipulated by law. In its judgment, the court held that the circulars issued by the police authorities purporting to retire the officers were unlawful, null, and void.