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Retired Inspector’s Plea for N2.2M Gratuity After 35 Years

Retired Police Inspector Cries Out Over N22Million Gratuity %E2%82%A620000 Monthly (via Primetweets)

Former Inspector of the Nigeria Police Force, Sambo Bello, has shared his discontent regarding the lack of support for retired officers. He revealed that after retiring in 2014, he only received ₦2.2 million as a gratuity and has been surviving on a meager monthly pension of ₦20,000.

In a video clip acquired by SaharaReporters, Bello appeared visibly upset, dressed in a damp brown outfit and a white cap.

He conveyed his disappointment over the insufficient benefits following 35 years of dedicated service to Nigeria.

Bello recounted the relentless years he spent in the police force.

Despite his dedication, he lamented the lack of substantial assistance or acknowledgment from the government.

He stated, “I am Sambo Bello, a retired police inspector. I retired in 2014 and was given ₦2.2 million as gratuity while my monthly pension is just ₦20,000. It has been 11 years since my retirement.”



When queried about any commitments made by the National Pension Commission (PENCOM), he reported that no further help was offered beyond his gratuity.

“The only support I received was the gratuity amount. Since my retirement, I’ve been managing with just ₦20,000 monthly,” he asserted.

Many retired officers like Bello, who devoted themselves to the nation, find themselves left with little to show for their years of service upon retirement.

Bello’s situation underscores the wider issue of inadequate pensions, slow processing of benefits, and the absence of a solid welfare system for those who spent years ensuring the nation’s security.


At the same time, human rights advocate Omoyele Sowore has criticized the Nigerian policing system for failing to provide retired officers with their due benefits post-service.

In a Facebook post on Thursday, Sowore expressed his indignation over the fact that a retired inspector, who left his position in 2014, received a mere ₦2.2 million as gratuity and now relies on a scant monthly pension of ₦20,000.

He also pointed out that even a retired Commissioner of Police only receives ₦80,000 monthly as pension.

Sowore condemned this situation as “an absolute injustice.”

Sowore remarked, “A retired Inspector of Police from 2014 received only ₦2.2 million as gratuity and lives off N20k as monthly pension.

“Meanwhile, a Commissioner Of Police is entitled to ₦80k a month. This is a severely unfair system.”



On June 22, 2025, SaharaReporters highlighted another retired Superintendent of Police who denounced a ₦2 million retirement benefit as “humiliating” after serving for 35 years.

This officer, who retired on October 1, 2023, expressed his anger in a heartfelt video, claiming that the Nigerian Police Pension Board had notified him of a ₦3 million retirement payout: ₦1 million for arrears since retirement and ₦2 million as total benefits.



“What is this for?”
he questioned. “I devoted myself completely to my country.”



The former officer, visibly incensed in the video, vowed to refuse the payment and pursue justice on his own. He stated, “I find this laughable—the Nigerian Police. I truly do. I retired as a Superintendent from the Nigerian Police on October 1st, 2023, and since then, I’ve seen no payment.”

“Only two weeks ago, they informed me of a ₦3 million payment. For what reason? They claim that’s my pension.

“But the reality is that the ₦3 million isn’t even my total pension. Out of it, ₦1 million is back pay from the time I retired until now, and the remaining two million is my entitlement.

“I cannot dedicate 35 years of service to my country and just receive ₦2 million. This is unacceptable. Someone needs to bring this to the attention of the Inspector-General of Police.”

 

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