By Palang Paul
Human rights activist and political figure Omoyele Sowore has renewed his campaign in support of retired members of the Nigerian Police Force, calling for the complete removal of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), which he described as a system designed to impoverish those who risked their lives for the nation.
Addressing a gathering of retired and serving police officers in Abuja the Nigeria Federal Capital Territory, Sowore condemned what he called the “inhumane neglect” of officers who spent decades in service but now “cannot afford food, medicine, housing, or education for their children.”
Look at the condition of those who retired before you — that is a mirror of your future if nothing changes,” Sowore warned, urging serving officers to join the struggle. “While those managing your pension funds live in luxury, the real owners of the money are dying in poverty.”
He accused government officials and top police management of insensitivity, alleging that “wives and children of top officers live in comfort while rank-and-file officers live in barracks worse than poultry houses.”
Sowore vowed to lead another protest to the Police Headquarters and possibly the National Assembly, insisting that lawmakers who enacted the CPS must be held accountable.
We did it before and we are ready to go back,he declared. “There is only one demand — remove the police from the CPS. Let them retire in dignity.”
He further stated that many retired officers die shortly after leaving service due to hardship and lack of support.
For decades, police officers have lamented the current pension system, claiming that gratuities are delayed or withheld while private administrators profit from their contributions. Advocacy groups have long argued that members of the armed forces and police should return to the old defined benefit scheme.
The growing agitation marks a fresh chapter in Sowore’s activism as he aligns with the security community in what may become a major nationwide protest if government authorities fail to intervene.
As tensions rise, all eyes are now on the Federal Government and the National Assembly to respond positively to the mounting pressure and do the needful.
Post Comment