Omoyele Sowore, the 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), along with other activists, has announced plans to stage a protest in Abuja today (Monday), demanding better welfare for officers of the Nigeria Police Force.
At the same time, members of the Nigerian Union of Retired Police Officers will be holding a separate demonstration at the National Assembly complex and the Force Headquarters, seeking their removal from the Contributory Pension Scheme, which they described as “discriminatory.”
The retired officers accused the government of ignoring their concerns, claiming that the contributory scheme has caused them untold hardship. Speaking with DAILY POST on Sunday, the Union's Chairman, Mannir M. Lawal, revealed that retirees from all 36 states had converged on Abuja for what he described as the “mother of all peaceful protests.”
“Nothing will stop this protest,” he declared. “We’ve just met with the FCT Commissioner of Police and informed him of our plans. We want out of the Contributory Pension Scheme, and we demand an immediate refund of our savings.”
Responding to speculation that Sowore and other activists were behind the protest to undermine the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Lawal clarified that the union acted independently.
“We only became aware of Sowore’s protest plans through social media. Our demonstration has nothing to do with him,” he said.
Police Accuse Activists of Politicizing Welfare Issues
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force on Sunday expressed concern over the politicization of police welfare by certain individuals, accusing them of exploiting the grievances of retired officers for political gain.
Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, released a statement suggesting that these individuals, implicitly referring to Sowore and his group, were more interested in causing disruption than meaningful reform.
“They are twisting facts, inflaming sentiments, and sowing public distrust,” the statement read. “This undermines not only the Nigeria Police Force but the integrity of public discourse in our country.”
Despite this, the IGP has instructed Commissioners of Police to ensure that the protesters are protected throughout the demonstrations.
Barracks Lockdown Ordered Amid Protest Plans
According to leaked memo on Sunday night, certain police officers in Abuja have been ordered to remain confined to their barracks until further notice.
“All officers and men serving in the command are to remain in the barracks immediately until further instructions,” the memo dated July 20, 2025, and signed by Supol Asokoro stated.
Sowore: No Retreat, No Surrender
Sowore, in response to opposition from the police and the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), insisted there would be no backing down.
Speaking with DAILY POST and in posts on his social media accounts, he criticized the government and the police leadership for failing to provide fair wages and pensions to officers.
“You humiliated them during service and abandoned them in retirement,” he wrote. “Now you’re panicking—releasing statements, locking officers in barracks, and trying to cover decades of injustice.”
The PCRC, however, has urged the retired officers to return to the negotiation table, warning that the protests could be seen as an attempt to tarnish the IGP’s image.
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