Omoyele Sowore, presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 elections, alongside other activists, is leading a protest in Abuja today, demanding better welfare for personnel of the Nigeria Police Force.

At the same time, members of the Nigerian Union of Retired Police Officers are staging demonstrations at the National Assembly and Force Headquarters. Their main demand is to be removed from the Contributory Pension Scheme, which they describe as unfair and discriminatory.

According to the union, the government has consistently ignored their concerns, forcing them to take to the streets in what they call the "mother of all peaceful protests." The union’s chairman, Mannir M. Lawal, stated that retired officers from all 36 states have converged in Abuja to demand the refund of their pension contributions and their exclusion from the current pension scheme.

“We have met with the FCT Commissioner of Police and officially notified him of our protest. Nothing will stop us,” Lawal said.

He also clarified that the protest was independently organized by the union and not in collaboration with Sowore. “We only saw Sowore’s planned protest online today; we were not involved in organizing it with him,” he noted.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force has accused some individuals of politicizing the welfare concerns of police personnel and retirees. The Force stated that some actors are exploiting these grievances to serve personal agendas rather than push for genuine reforms.

Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said in a statement that these actors are “twisting facts, inflaming sentiments, and eroding public trust,” stressing that their actions harm not just the Police Force but also national discourse. He added that despite this, the Force remains committed to addressing legitimate welfare concerns.

The Inspector General of Police has directed Commissioners of Police nationwide to ensure the safety of all protesters.

In a related development, an internal memo has surfaced, instructing police officers, particularly those in the Federal Capital Territory, to remain within their barracks until further notice. The directive appears aimed at maintaining control and reducing tension amid planned demonstrations.

Responding to developments, Sowore maintained that the protest would proceed as planned, despite resistance from security agencies and the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC). In a statement shared on his social media, he criticized the government and the police leadership for what he described as decades of injustice.

“You deny police officers fair pay and decent pensions. You humiliate them in service and in retirement. Now you're panicking, issuing directives, locking officers in barracks, and spinning narratives,” Sowore said.

The PCRC, however, has urged the retirees to return to dialogue, warning that the nationwide protests could be interpreted as attempts to undermine the authority of the Inspector General of Police.