Senate passes bill for exclusive police pension board

The Nigeria Police Force‘s long-standing aspiration for an exclusive pension board moved closer to reality on Thursday as the Senate passed the “Police Pension Board (Establishment) Bill” for a second reading.

Senator Binos Dauda Yaroe (PDP, Adamawa South) presented the lead debate, highlighting the disparity in pension benefits between the police and other frontline security agencies like the Army, Navy, Air Force, DSS, DIA, and NIA.

According to Yaroe, under the current contributory pension scheme managed by the Pension Commission (PENCOM), a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) receives N2.5 million, while counterparts in the military receive N12.8 million, a significant gap that puts police officers at a disadvantage.

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Yaroe emphasized that the bill aims to bring equality and justice in pension payments, boost the morale of serving personnel, and enhance the standard of living for retired officers. The bill received broad support from senators, who urged for its swift passage.

Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Jibrin Barau, who presided over the session, stressed the importance of the legislation for boosting police morale and ensuring their pension aligns with those of other security agencies. Barau directed the Senate Committee on Police Affairs to refine the bill further and report back within four weeks.