Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has unveiled a Police Dignity Guarantee Plan, promising to improve the welfare of serving and retired police officers if elected president. The proposed programme includes settling verified pension arrears and gratuity claims, establishing a minimum pension threshold and providing insured healthcare for personnel.
Atiku announced the plan in a post on his X handle, accusing President Bola Tinubu’s administration of neglecting retired police officers and leaving them to struggle with poverty, hunger and inadequate medical care. He also promised timely assistance for families of officers killed in service and medical treatment for personnel injured while carrying out their duties.
The former vice president said he would introduce home-based verification for retirees and review police salaries to enable serving officers to meet their families’ needs without withdrawing their retirement savings. He added that the programme’s costs would be included in annual national budgets, with payment schedules published to promote transparency and accountability.
Atiku also called on Tinubu to explain the delay in signing the Police Exit Bill, which he said was sent to the President in March but remained unsigned as of Sunday. He urged the National Assembly to publish the bill’s formal status, demand an explanation for the delay and determine the constitutional steps available to advance the legislation.
To highlight the challenges facing retired officers, Atiku cited the case of a retired Assistant Superintendent of Police who reportedly receives a monthly pension of ₦29,000. He also claimed that more than 120 members of the officer’s association had died within three years, raising concerns about the financial and health difficulties faced by retirees.
He further recounted the case of a retired Assistant Commissioner of Police who allegedly struggled to secure employment after leaving the force and was later found begging at the Central Mosque in Abuja. Atiku said his team intervened to assist the woman but stressed that individual acts of support could not replace a dependable retirement welfare system.
The ADC presidential hopeful also alleged that some serving police officers had withdrawn 25 per cent of their pension savings to cover household expenses amid rising costs of food, transportation and medicine. He said his proposed plan would ensure that officers who served the country could provide for their families during service and receive adequate support after retirement.
