HUMAN rights activist Omoyele Sowore, on Monday, July 21, led a protest of retired police officers in Abuja to demand better welfare for personnel of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
The Nigerian Union of Retired Police Officers, who had vowed to picket the National Assembly complex, stormed the complex despite the rainfall in the nation’s capital and thereafter moved to the Force Headquarters with a demand for their immediate removal from the contributory pension scheme.
They described the pension scheme as ‘discriminatory’.
The demonstrators, mostly elderly, stood in the rain, holding placards and chanting anti-government songs.
Security personnel were on the ground to prevent the hijacking of the demonstration and disruption of public order.
In the past months, retired police officers have been demanding full exemption of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) from the contributory pension scheme (CPS)
Some of the retired officers had debated that their low monthly pension could not meet their immediate needs.
Sowore, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 elections, has been promoting the protest with the hashtag #Policeprotest on his X handle.
The ICIR reported on Sunday that the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun directed commissioners of police to ensure adequate protection for the protesters.
Egbetokun gave the order, in a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, on Sunday, July 20.
A reporter with the ICIR
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