After three and a half decades of night shifts, dangerous investigations, and missed birthdays, 24 officers of the Lagos State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, have officially hung up their uniforms.Their retirement ceremony was both celebration and reality check.”You Are Police For Life”The Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, showed up to honor the retirees. His message was clear: “You are still police officers. For life, you are police officers. And we’ll continue to take care of your welfare.”Deputy Commissioner Dayo Akinbisehin called them the backbone of Lagos investigations — the men and women who worked through rain, holidays, and danger while families waited at home. “Go home to your families, enjoy your freedom,” he told them.
The Other Side of the BadgeBut behind the speeches were hard truths many in the AfroCaribbean diaspora will recognize: the gap between service and security after service.DSP Benson Emuerie, who spent 35 years in the Prosecution Department, said he was exiting as a DSP with about N2.5 million in benefits. By contrast, he noted, a military counterpart could get N10 million to N15 million.“What am I working for if I can’t send my first son to university?” he asked. He called for scholarships and reduced school fees for children of police officers.DSP Rita Momah, one of the few women retiring, recalled waking at 4am, taking buses and bikes to work, and rising through the ranks with no “godfather.” Now, she says her next job is simple: “To be a nanny for my children. I will go to my children and enjoy my life.”Retired Station Officer Udoh Patrick urged better career progression.
“It is difficult to imagine how someone will serve for years and remain stagnant in one rank.”Why This Matters Beyond NigeriaAcross Africa and the Caribbean, police and frontline workers face the same story: praised in uniform, forgotten in retirement. From Kingston to Accra to Lagos, the question is the same — how do we ensure those who protect communities can retire with dignity?The retirees didn’t ask for luxury. They asked for fairness, better pensions, and recognition that 35 years of sacrifice should equal financial security.
The TakeawayThe Panti ceremony ended with applause, prayers, and photos. But it also ended with a reminder to governments across the Black world: Honoring service means more than speeches. It means pensions that pay, healthcare that works, and a system that doesn’t leave officers struggling after they’ve given their best years.As IGP Disu told them: “Go home, enjoy your freedom.” Now the call is for the system to make sure that freedom comes with dignity.
