Sowore, retired police Officers set for protest in Abuja over police welfare, pensions
Omoyele Sowore, former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), alongside other activists, has vowed to lead a protest in Abuja today, Monday, demanding improved welfare for serving members of the Nigeria Police Force.
Simultaneously, members of the Nigerian Union of Retired Police Officers have mobilized from across the country to stage a separate protest at the National Assembly complex and the Force Headquarters. Their primary demand is to be removed from the Contributory Pension Scheme, which they described as “discriminatory.”
Chairman of the union, Mannir M. Lawal, in a telephone interview on Sunday, emphasized the peaceful nature of their demonstration, revealing that they had already met with the FCT Commissioner of Police to notify him of their plans.
“We just want to be removed from the Contributory Pension Scheme. We want all our savings refunded with immediate effect,” Lawal stated, insisting that the protest would go on as planned.
Responding to reports linking Sowore to their protest, Lawal clarified that the union had no prior knowledge of his planned demonstration. “We only saw Sowore’s own on social media,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force has raised concerns over what it describes as the politicization of sensitive welfare issues. In a statement issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Police accused certain individuals of weaponizing the grievances of retired officers for “ulterior motives,” warning that their actions aim more at disruption than reform.
“These actors twist facts, inflame sentiments, and sow distrust in public discourse,” Adejobi noted, while reaffirming the Force’s commitment to addressing the core welfare issues of its current and retired personnel.
Despite the tension, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has directed Commissioners of Police to ensure the protesters are protected during the demonstration.
However, in a leaked memo dated July 20 and issued by Supol Asokoro, some police officers in Abuja were ordered to remain in the barracks until further notice, sparking further speculation about internal unease.
In response, Sowore doubled down on his commitment to proceed with the protest.
In a post on his social media handles, he accused the Tinubu-led administration and the police hierarchy of neglecting officers’ welfare.
“You humiliated them in service and in retirement. Now you’re scrambling… locking officers in barracks… trying to explain away decades of injustice,” he wrote.
Meanwhile, the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) has called on the retirees to return to the negotiation table, warning that the protest could be misinterpreted as an attempt to undermine the IGP’s credibility.
As of Monday morning, both protests are expected to proceed as scheduled in the nation’s capital, with security agencies on high alert.
