Sowore leads retired policemen to Force headquarters in protest against Contributory Pension Scheme
Omoyele Sowore, human rights activist and publisher on Monday led a group of retired Nigerian police officers in a protest to the Force Headquarters in Abuja, demanding urgent reforms to the pension and welfare system for both retired and serving police personnel.
The protest, held in collaboration with the Nigerian Union of Retired Police Officers (NURPO), highlighted the growing dissatisfaction among ex-police officers who say they have been abandoned by the government under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
The key demands are the immediate removal of the Nigeria Police Force from the Contributory Pension Scheme, implementation of a dedicated pension structure for police officers, payment of outstanding benefits to thousands of retired officers and improvement of welfare packages for serving personnel.
The protesters—many of them elderly and visibly frail and frustrated initially faced resistance from security officials who blocked access to the Force Headquarters. However, after negotiations, they were allowed and later escorted by the police to the National Assembly complex, where they continued their protest.
Speaking at the rally, Sowore described the treatment of retired police officers as “a national disgrace,” accusing the government of “systemic neglect” and demanding an overhaul of the current pension framework.
“It is shameful that men who spent their entire lives protecting the country are left to suffer in retirement. This injustice must end,” Sowore said.
The controversy around the Contributory Pension Scheme, introduced in 2004, has remained contentious. Many retired police officers argue that the scheme shortchanges them, leaving them with meagre monthly stipends despite years of service.
Several legislative attempts to exempt the police from the CPS have stalled in the National Assembly, even as other paramilitary agencies like the Nigeria Correctional Service and Immigration have already been removed from the scheme.
Protest leaders vowed to continue with the agitation until their demands are met, including a formal engagement with the leadership of the National Assembly and relevant federal agencies.
