I LOST MY LEG CHASING A THIEF, NOW MY FAMILY LIVES LIKE BEGGARS — RETIRED POLICE OFFICER. (PHOTO).

 I lost my leg chasing a thief, now my family lives like beggars — Retired police officer

A retired Superintendent of Police, Owolabi Odesanmi, who lost a leg in the line of duty nearly 25 years ago, has recounted his struggles as an amputee and expressed deep regrets over his career in the Nigeria Police Force.

Odesanmi, 58, who hails from Erinjiyan Ekiti in Ekiti West Local Government Area of Ekiti State, retired on January 1, 2025, after 35 years of service, having risen through the ranks from Police Constable in 1990 to Superintendent of Police in 2022. He served as Divisional Crime Officer at the Okuta-Elerinla Police Division in Akure, Ondo State.

In a candid interview, Odesanmi detailed how he sustained his life-changing injury on October 5, 2001, while serving at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Area Command in Apapa, Lagos. 

“I was pursuing a thief in an attempt to arrest him... After the suspect jumped over a trailer and I caught up with him, the trailer suddenly moved and hit me, badly injuring my right leg,” he said. The leg was eventually amputated, leaving him reliant on prosthetic limbs.

He revealed that the late DIG David Omodola, then Area Commander, intervened, prompting the NPA to pay him N390,000 in compensation, while the police contributed only N34,000 as insurance. The authorities initially provided a prosthetic limb, but subsequent replacements have been at his own expense. 

“My current prosthetic limb is also in bad condition,” Odesanmi lamented. “How can I save N1 million from a monthly pension of N90,000 to buy another one? I am really suffering.”

The retired officer disclosed that he funded his last prosthetic limb, costing over N1 million, using part of his N3,326,046 gratuity. He now receives a monthly pension of N90,802, which he says is grossly inadequate to support his family, including four children: two in university, one in secondary school, and one in primary school.

“Since I retired... the Nigeria Police Force paid me a lump sum... and has been paying me a monthly pension... What I receive as pension is not enough to take care of myself and my family,” he said. “We are living like beggars. Honestly, I survive through the assistance of friends, neighbours and well-wishers.”

Odesanmi, who built his own house with support from his wife (a public servant), criticised the welfare system within the police, particularly the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) under PENCOM. He argued that the current pension structure is unfair, noting that officers earn far more while in service than in retirement.

He called for the removal of police personnel from PENCOM, similar to arrangements for the military, Department of State Services (DSS), and National Intelligence Agency (NIA). Odesanmi appealed directly to President Bola Tinubu to assent to the Police Pension Board Establishment Bill (Police Exit Bill), already passed by the National Assembly.

“We want the Police Exit Bill... to be signed into law,” he stated. “If we serve the nation in the same way as the military, DSS and NIA, facing similar risks, then we deserve a better retirement package.”

He drew comparisons with the military, where officers of equivalent rank reportedly receive gratuities of N18–23 million, contrasting sharply with his own payout.

Reflecting on changes in the force, Odesanmi noted that when he joined in 1990, officers received uniforms, bedding, and essential items. Today, many purchase their own equipment, which he said affects morale.

On the proposal for state police to tackle insecurity, he expressed support, provided state governments adequately fund and supervise the forces.

Despite his service and sacrifice — including witnessing frequent deaths and injuries among officers — Odesanmi admitted regretting his career choice.

“Honestly, yes. Considering my experience and the treatment of retired officers, I would not encourage my children to join the police,” he said. However, he urged serving officers to remain diligent and professional, while appealing to the government to improve welfare for both active and retired personnel so they can “live with dignity after years of sacrifice.”