Not even the rain could deter police pensioners who took to the streets on Monday to protest their plight.
Amid rain, some retired police officers were seen protesting at the entrance gate of the National Assembly in Abuja.
Their grudge is the inclusion of the police under the Contributory Pension Scheme.
The protesters are demanding their removal from the scheme.
The placard carrying protesters chanted solidarity songs as they stood in the rain, insisting that their welfare and dignity had been neglected for too long.
Speaking during the protest, a retired Chief Superintendent of Police, CSP Manir Lawal (rtd.) called on the government to exit police retirees from the pension scheme, which he described as exploitative and unjust.
He said, ” We are here to ask the government to remove us from the CPS. The pension scheme is exploitative and unjust. I am 67 years old. Many of us here are in our 60s and 70s. We have served this country faithfully and deserve to retire in dignity. This scheme has impoverished us. It is our right to demand better,” he said.
Despite the rain, the retirees stood firm, vowing not to leave until their concerns were addressed by the leadership of the National Assembly.
Security operatives were seen monitoring the protest to prevent any breakdown of law and order.
The Inspector General of Police, Dr. Kayode Egbetokun had instructed the police Commissioners across the states to provide adequate protection for the protesters.
