{"id":5658,"date":"2025-07-22T06:17:45","date_gmt":"2025-07-22T06:17:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/?p=5658"},"modified":"2025-07-22T06:17:45","modified_gmt":"2025-07-22T06:17:45","slug":"retired-police-officers-threaten-to-picket-nass-demand-exit-from-contributory-pension-scheme-igp-orders-cps-to-ensure-peaceful-conduct-as-police-tightens-security-at-en","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/2025\/07\/22\/retired-police-officers-threaten-to-picket-nass-demand-exit-from-contributory-pension-scheme-igp-orders-cps-to-ensure-peaceful-conduct-as-police-tightens-security-at-en\/","title":{"rendered":"Retired Police officers threaten to Picket NASS\u00a0 ….demand exit from contributory Pension Scheme\u00a0 *IGP orders CPs to ensure peaceful conduct\u00a0 …As Police tightens security at entrance to NASS complex * Protesters suspend\u00a0 protest after dialogue with IGP\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By George Mgbeleke<\/div>\n
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Residents of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were subjected to panic on Monday as retired police officers and rights activists, led by former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore, took the streets in what is being described as the \u201cmother of all protests.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the centre of the unrest is a long-standing grievance: “the Contributory Pension Scheme.” Retired police officers said the scheme is unfair, exploitative, and leaves them impoverished after years of service.<\/p>\n

The embattled retired police officers are demanding immediate removal from the scheme and a full refund of their contributions, hundreds have converged on the National Assembly and Force Headquarters in Abuja.<\/p>\n

Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Retired Police Officers, Mannir M. Lawal, said the protest is peaceful and was not connected with Sowore, whose planned rally has drawn separate attention.
\n\u201cWe are not aware of his protest before now,\u201d Lawal told Daily Champion while reaffirming the retirees\u2019 decision to press on.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force has raised alarm, accusing unnamed political actors of politicising the issue.
\nIn a strongly worded statement, Force PRO Olumuyiwa Adejobi said the protests are being twisted for \u201culterior motives,\u201d adding that \u201ctheir intent is not reform, but disruption.\u201d<\/p>\n

A leaked memo from the FCT Command revealed that officers have been ordered to remain in their barracks \u2014 a move seen by many as a sign of internal unease within the force.<\/p>\n

Sowore, unfazed by the backlash, doubled down on social media, slamming the Tinubu administration for what he called decades of disrespect towards police personnel. \u201cYou humiliated them in service and in retirement. Now you scramble to save face,\u201d he posted.<\/p>\n

The Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) has urged a return to dialogue, warning that the protests could undermine the credibility of Inspector General Kayode Egbetokun.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered Commissioners of Police to ensure peaceful conduct during the July 21 protest being organised by retired police officers over welfare.<\/p>\n

The spokesman of the Force, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.<\/p>\n

He said the order applies to Police Commands in states where formal notices for protest had been received.<\/p>\n

The IGP had directed the CPs to provide adequate security coverage to the protesters who had chosen to publicly express their grievances<\/p>\n

police boss urged the CPs to prevent any hijacking of the protest by miscreants, political actors, or non-retired agitators.<\/p>\n

He enjoined the CPs to sensitise officers and men under their command on the constitutional rights to peaceful assembly, and the obligation to show utmost respect to the retired officers.<\/p>\n

Mr Egbetokun urged the senior police officers to deploy intelligence and operational resources of the force to protect lives, maintain public order, and safeguard institutional integrity.<\/p>\n

The I-G urged police officers to note that the protest, described as \u201cthe mother of all peaceful protests\u201d, must not only be peaceful, but it must also be exemplary.<\/p>\n

Be that as it, eye-witness account revealed that there are about 15 hellux vans drawn from different locations in Abuja stationed at the entrance of\u00a0 National Assembly Mopo gate with fully arned Police officers.<\/p>\n

This development may not be unconnected with NASS resumption date today (Tuesday 22nd July), perhaps to prevent the protesters from having access to the nation’s apex legislative house.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the protesters later suspended their protest after their meeting with the Inspector General of Police,Kayode Egbetokun on how to address their demands.<\/p>\n

At the meeting th retired Police officers presented\u00a0 their grievances which mainly hinges on poor pension benefits and welfare neglect.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Recall that the protest, which began around 9:00 a.m., saw the retirees barricade the main gate of the Force Headquarters, bringing official activities to a near standstill. Staff and visitors were left stranded, with many forced to seek alternate routes or leave altogether.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Undeterred by a heavy downpour, the demonstrators, comprising mostly retired police personnel and civil rights activists, stood their ground, chanting solidarity songs and carrying placards with bold messages such as \u201cIt\u2019s our money!\u201d, \u201cPay us our dues!\u201d, and \u201cPolice dey steal?\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, joined the protest in solidarity and stayed until about 2:10 p.m.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0It was during the protest that a minor altercation allegedly occurred in which Sowore\u2019s eyeglasses were seized by security personnel, a move that further inflamed tensions.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Protesters later added the return of Sowore\u2019s eyeglasses to their list of demands, chanting, \u201cGive us our eyeglass!\u201d and vowing to return if it was not recovered.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Top police officers made repeated attempts to persuade the demonstrators to move into a conference room for dialogue, but the retirees refused, insisting on a face-to-face engagement with the IGP himself.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u201cIt won\u2019t take him a minute. We are not violent. We came here unarmed. What does it take for the IGP to come out and address his own colleagues?”, one protester shouted.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
However at about 3:05 p.m., following intense negotiations, the protesters agreed to meet with the IGP, who later told journalists, \u201cThere\u2019s no more protest; their concerns were already being addressed before now.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
But for the retirees, the demonstration was about more than just being heard. Many expressed deep frustration over the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), under which they said they had received as little as \u20a62 million after 35 years of service.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
The protesters described the scheme as exploitative, alleging that while their own pensions have been poorly managed, those overseeing the funds live lavishly.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
One protester, Yahya Musa, revealed he receives just \u20a645,000 monthly, an amount he says cannot cover rent or basic needs. Others said they earn as little as \u20a630,000, despite retiring as senior officers like Assistant Superintendents or Deputy Superintendents of Police.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Some, like Moses Kimson, whose viral video helped spark the protest rejected their final payments outright.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u201cI found it insulting. They deducted money from my salary for years, but it doesn\u2019t reflect in my account”, Kimson said, holding up his pension statement.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Retired officers also demanded the establishment of an independent Police Pension Board, saying the current administrators have failed them.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u201cPolice pension has become a criminal enterprise. We were told the police can\u2019t manage their own pension. But we managed divisions, states, and commands. Are we not competent enough?” one protester said.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Another retiree emotionally recounted serving in Liberia, only to return home and receive a meager payout.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u201cI had a stroke in the line of duty. Now, I can\u2019t even afford treatment”, he said.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Some of the protesters noted that high-ranking officers have found ways to exempt themselves from the CPS, leaving only lower-ranking personnel to bear the brunt of the scheme’s failures. \u201cThis is a time bomb,\u201d one retiree warned. \u201cToday it\u2019s us; tomorrow it\u2019s those still serving.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Despite assurances from the police leadership, the retirees are not letting their guard down.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
They have vowed to return on August 1st if their demands\u2014including the return of Sowore\u2019s glasses and meaningful pension reforms\u2014are not met.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u201cOur dignity has been stolen. We will not stop until justice is done”, said a visibly angry retiree.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By George Mgbeleke Residents of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were subjected to panic on Monday as retired police officers and rights activists, led by former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore, took the streets in what is being described as the \u201cmother of all protests.\u201d At the centre of the unrest is a long-standing grievance: “the Contributory […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1211,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[1713,825,533,2947,925,778,3679,3677],"class_list":["post-5658","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-economy","tag-contributory","tag-demands","tag-demonstration","tag-panic","tag-pension","tag-resumption","tag-subjected","tag-unconnected"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5658","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5658"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5658\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5659,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5658\/revisions\/5659"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1211"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5658"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5658"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5658"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}