In a powerful show of defiance, a group of retired police officers braved the heavy rain on Monday to stage a protest at the main entrance of the National Assembly complex in Abuja.
The demonstrators, mostly elderly ex-police officers, are demanding their removal from the contributory pension scheme, which they described as exploitative and unfair.
The visibly aggrieved retirees carried placards and chanted solidarity songs as they stood under the rain, expressing deep frustration over what they termed years of neglect and poor treatment despite their dedicated service to the nation.
Leading the protest, retired Chief Superintendent of Police, Manir Lawal, decried the continued inclusion of police retirees in the contributory pension scheme, which he claimed has worsened their living conditions.
“We are here to ask the government to remove us from the contributory pension scheme. The pension scheme is exploitative and unjust,” Lawal said.
“I am 67 years old. Many of us here are in our 60s and 70s. We have served this country faithfully and deserve to retire in dignity. This scheme has impoverished us. It is our right to demand better,” he added.
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The protesting officers accused the federal government of turning a blind eye to their plight, noting that the current pension system has left many retired officers in penury, unable to meet their basic needs.
Despite the downpour, the retirees vowed to remain at the National Assembly gate until their demands are formally acknowledged and addressed by lawmakers.
They also called on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to urgently implement a separate pension structure for police retirees, akin to what is obtained in the military.
Security personnel from the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps were on the ground to monitor the situation, ensuring the protest remained peaceful.