Retired Police Officers Forum, Imo state chapter has dragged the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Police Service Commission among others to the Industrial Court in Owerri, over alleged failure to pay them their pension under the contributory Pension Scheme years after
they had retired from active service.

The Counsel to the Imo Retired Police Officers Forum, Lawrence Nwakaeti, stated this on Wednesday after the court adjourned the matter to March 23, 2022.

He said they came to court for the matter to be set out for hearing having served the defendants.

According to the lawyer, “We are in court because the claimants who served their fatherlands as police officers, we know how dangerous the job is and after putting in their best they are paid their pension as if they are beggars while they are accomplished gentlemen.

“We are going to challenge the action. Because we found out that their people who manage this pension act as if it’s their money and this is fraudulent. The essence of pension is that at the twilight of their career, they can draw from it and take care of themselves for the rest of the days ahead.

“You know at this period of their age, all kinds of sickness will start coming and they need money to maintain themselves with which they can live long. When you deny them you indirectly kill them. Our prayers are that they were paid a paltry of 25 per cent and they are paid at the whims and caprices of those managing the funds.

“Those who are party to this matter include The Police Service Commission, the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Nigeria Police; these are the bodies that manage the police Force. The matter has been adjourned to March 23, 2022. We came to court for the matter to be set out for hearing,” he said.

Adding their voice, the Chairman Retired Police Officers Forum, Imo State Chapter, S. P Nwaikwue Prince Amanze Rtd, Vice Chairman, Ezetannadi Benjamin Nkemakolam, Secretary, ASP Iwuji Julius, Rtd, Supol Remijus Osuji Rtd among others in their statement highlighted their reliefs.

“That the NPF pensions limited should pay to us 50 per cent of the money remaining in our account balance. That the interest that accrued to us from our account balance after 25 per cent was paid to us after retirement be paid to us. That the money accrued to us from the time of our enlistment into Nigeria police Force till 2004 when the contributory pension was introduced be paid to us.

“That we need a total pullout from contributory pension scheme which is a fraudulent organization; that we are retired police officers who have served before the enactment of pension reform act 2004.

Based on the act which supposes to be prospective and not retrospective, we pray that the honourable court exempts us from Contributory Pension Scheme, CPS, to define benefit scheme to, DBS, where we belong,” they said.

(Vanguard)