Criminalise non-payment of pensions —Lawyer Maxwell Okpara
Maxwell Okpara, a legal practitioner and public affairs analyst, is advocating for the criminalization of non-payment of pensions in Nigeria. His remarks came during an interview on Arise Television on Thursday.
Okpara’s comments followed reports that police in Lagos State used tear gas against pensioners participating in a peaceful protest to demand their entitlements. He criticized the police response and called for an apology to the senior citizens affected by the incident.
“It is high time we criminalize non-payment of pensions. The Commissioner of Police should tender an apology to Nigerians and to senior citizens,” Okpara said.
He expressed concern over the treatment of pensioners, many of whom have dedicated decades of service to the country. “Why should they deny something everyone saw? For someone to serve this country for 35 years and still have to ask for their own money raises serious questions,” he added.
Okpara emphasized the need for a legal framework to address this issue, stating that the failure to pay pensions constitutes a violation of human rights.
