Sowore Joins Protest for Better Pay, Pensions for Serving, Retired Police Officers

By Emmanuel Kwada

‎Omoyele Sowore, the 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), joined forces with activists and hundreds of retired Nigerian police officers in a coordinated protest across Abuja, demanding improved welfare for both serving and retired police personnel.

The demonstration, dubbed the “Mother of All Peaceful Protests,” saw retirees from the Nigerian Union of Retired Police Officers and other activists converge at the National Assembly Complex and Force Headquarters to press for the removal of the Nigeria Police Force from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), which they describe as discriminatory and inadequate.

‎The protesters, representing all 36 states, voiced frustration over the meager pensions paid under the CPS, with some retirees receiving as little as ₦18,000 to ₦75,000 monthly after decades of service. They highlighted the disparity between police pensions and those of other security agencies, such as the military, DSS, and NIA, which are exempt from the CPS.

“We want all our savings refunded and an immediate exit from this fraudulent scheme,” said Mannir M. Lawal, Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Retired Police Officers, in a telephone interview with Daily Post. Lawal emphasized that the union had independently organized the protest, distancing it from Sowore’s involvement, which they learned about via social media.

You humiliated them in service and in retirement

‎Sowore, a prominent activist, took to social media to criticize the Bola Tinubu administration and the Nigeria Police Force for neglecting officers’ welfare. “You humiliated them in service and in retirement,” he posted, accusing the government of scrambling to suppress the protest through statements and containment measures. He called for minimum salaries of ₦300,000 to ₦500,000 for police officers, arguing that their current pay and pensions are insufficient to meet basic needs.

‎The Nigeria Police Force (NPF), in a statement by Force Public Relations Officer ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, acknowledged the legitimacy of the retirees’ grievances but cautioned against politicization.

The NPF reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the protesters’ rights while ensuring public order, with Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun directing officers to provide security for the peaceful demonstration.

The Force expressed concern over attempts to exploit the retirees’ plight for political gain, noting that the CPS issue has persisted for over a decade due to legal and fiscal constraints

However, the Force expressed concern over attempts to exploit the retirees’ plight for political gain, noting that the CPS issue has persisted for over a decade due to legal and fiscal constraints.

‎Retired officers shared harrowing stories of economic hardship, with some reporting pensions as low as ₦40,000 after 35 years of service. “This is not just neglect; it is a scandalous betrayal,” said Okechukwu Nwanguma in an opinion piece for Sahara Reporters, highlighting how the CPS has left retirees struggling to afford basic necessities. The National Association of Retired Police Officers of Nigeria (NARPON) has also called for reforms, including the establishment of an Additional Pension Benefits Scheme under the Nigeria Police Act 2020 to supplement pensions using internally generated revenue.

‎The Police Service Commission (PSC) condemned the protest as “ill-timed and diversionary,” urging retirees to pursue dialogue instead. PSC Chairman Hashimu Argungu has advocated for pension reforms, but the commission believes government agencies are already addressing the disparities. Meanwhile, the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) distanced itself from Sowore’s involvement, praising ongoing NPF reforms under IGP Egbetokun and calling for calm.