Photo: Channels TV

Some retired police officers on Monday in Abuja and Taraba state staged a protest to draw government attention to the poor welfare conditions of serving and retired members of the Nigeria Police Force.

They pledged to sustain their protest if no action is taken by government to meet their demands.

The protest which was peaceful was led by the Convener of the Revolution Now Movement, Omoyele Sowore, who gave extra voice to the retirees to demand urgent intervention from the Federal Government.

Sowore, speaking during the protest, called on the government to recognise the sacrifices made by police officers and ensure that their welfare was prioritised.

In Jalingo, Taraba State capital, the retirees staged a protest with banners and placards demanding an exit from the Police Contributory Pension Scheme.

Inscriptions on some of the placards read, ‘We demand total exit from the deadly Police Contributory Pension Scheme,’ Scrap police contribution pension scheme,’ and ‘We need our full gratuity’.

The pension scheme has been a subject of debate among the police personnel with many complaining that it was not serving their purpose. They complained that deductions were made from their salaries but at the point of exit or demand for payment for any reason, nothing is paid to them.

Some of the officers said the scheme was fraught with fraud.

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, had on Sunday directed all Commissioners of Police across the country and in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to provide maximum security for the planned peaceful protest by retired police officers.