Retired Police Police Officer Cries Out: “I Regret Joining Force, I’ve Been Bedridden For Three Years Without Help”

Ikeja,  Lagos State– A retired Superintendent of Police, Prince Adetarami Festus Adegbehin, has expressed deep regret over his service in the Nigeria Police Force, lamenting that he has been bedridden for three years without meaningful assistance from the government.

Speaking in an interview with BBC Yoruba, Adegbehin, who joined the police on April 1, 1986, and retired in 2021, said his health deteriorated after an accident in 2017 while on official duty.

According to him, the accident occurred while he was travelling from Akwa Ibom State to attend a meeting of commanders convened by the then Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris Kpotun.

“I blame myself for joining the Nigeria Police Force, and by God’s grace, none of my children or generation will ever join. Look at how I have become. I have been bedridden for three years and even excrete on the bed,” he said.

The retired officer recounted that he spent over ₦9 million on medical treatment after the accident, yet received no financial support from the police authorities.

“I used four months in the hospital, and not a kobo was given to me by the Nigeria Police,” he said.

Adegbehin added that despite his deteriorating health, he was compelled to continue hospital check-ups as part of his service obligations, warning that failure to do so could attract disciplinary consequences.

Reflecting on his years of service, the retired officer said he risked his life for the nation.

“I have defended this country with all my life. If you check my body, you’ll see scars where bullets penetrated. I confronted armed robbers face to face, yet this is how the government has repaid me,” he said.

He disclosed that his monthly pension as a superintendent is ₦47,900, while his gratuity was less than ₦3 million — an amount he said could not cover his medical expenses.

“The Nigerian government should not let me die like this. I worked tirelessly for this country. The American government even gave me an international award for my service. My squad and I provided security for the second-in-command to former U.S. President Bill Clinton when he visited Nigeria,” he added.

Adegbehin said his health crisis has plunged his family into hardship.

“Two of my children have dropped out of school because I can no longer pay their fees. As the breadwinner, I am helpless. I owe banks about ₦25 million, and I’m begging the Nigerian government and well-meaning Nigerians to come to my aid.”