From Victor Osula, Abuja
Convener of the Revolution Now Movement, Omoyele Sowore, on Monday led a peaceful protest by retired police officers to highlight the poor welfare conditions of both serving and retired members of the Nigeria Police Force.
The protesters, who gathered in Abuja and across several states including Taraba, demanded an immediate exit from the Police Contributory Pension Scheme.
They expressed frustration over years of neglect, unpaid pensions, and what they described as inhumane treatment of officers who had served the country with dedication.
In Taraba, the retirees carried placards with messages such as, “We demand total exit from the deadly Police Contributory Pension Scheme,” “Scrap police contributory pension scheme,” and “We need our full gratuity.”
Addressing the crowd in Abuja, Sowore urged the Federal Government to acknowledge the sacrifices made by police officers and prioritise their welfare.
Speaking during the protest, a retired Chief Superintendent of Police, CSP Manir Lawal (retd.) called on the government to exit police retirees from the pension scheme, which he described as exploitative and unjust.
He said, ” We are here to ask the government to remove us from the CPS. The pension scheme is exploitative and unjust.
“I am 67 years old. Many of us here are in our 60s and 70s. We have served this country faithfully and deserve to retire in dignity. This scheme has impoverished us. It is our right to demand better,” he said.
The protesters warned that they would sustain the demonstrations if their demands were not met swiftly.
