Nigeria’s capital is on edge today as waves of retired police officers and rights activists, led by former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore, take to the streets in what is being described as the “mother of all protests.”
At the heart of the unrest is a long-standing grievance: the Contributory Pension Scheme. Retired police officers say the scheme is unfair, exploitative, and leaves them impoverished after years of service.
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.
Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Retired Police Officers, Mannir M. Lawal, said the protest is peaceful and was not coordinated with Sowore, whose planned rally has drawn separate attention.
“We are not aware of his protest before now,” Lawal told Daily Post, while reaffirming the retirees’ decision to press on.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force has raised alarm, accusing unnamed political actors of weaponising the issue.
In a strongly worded statement, Force PRO Olumuyiwa Adejobi said the protests are being twisted for “ulterior motives,” adding that “their intent is not reform, but disruption.”
A leaked memo from the FCT Command revealed that officers have been ordered to remain in their barracks — a move seen by many as a sign of internal unease within the force.
Sowore, unfazed by the backlash, doubled down on social media, slamming the Tinubu administration for what he called decades of disrespect towards police personnel. “You humiliated them in service and in retirement. Now you scramble to save face,” he posted.
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.
As tensions mount, one thing is clear: Nigeria’s security veterans are no longer staying silent — and the country’s leadership may soon be forced to confront long-ignored injustices within its law enforcement system.