… Protesters Storm National Assembly, Accuse Officials Of Exploitation
… Call For End To Contributory Pension Scheme, Demand Justice
Tension heightened on Tuesday in Abuja as widows of retired and fallen Nigerian police officers stormed the National Assembly, alleging that officials demand sexual favours before releasing their late husbands’ gratuities.
The protesters, who marched alongside their husbands and human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, decried what they described as years of humiliation, neglect, and injustice meted out to families of those who served the nation in uniform.
One of the aggrieved widows, fighting back tears, said: “before they even call us to come and collect our husbands’ gratuities, they will demand to sleep with us or our children.
“You can imagine such wickedness. Why is the police authority so indifferent? Enough is enough. They should please answer us.”
The women accused the Nigeria Police Force and the federal government of abandoning families of officers killed in the line of duty.
They lamented that many widows and children had been left destitute, while pension and gratuity payments were either delayed or deliberately frustrated.
They further called for the immediate removal of police officers from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), which they described as “fraudulent” and a source of unending hardship.
Another protester said, “When our husbands were serving, they had no bulletproof vests or protective gear.
“They were the first to die in operations. Today, their widows and children are suffering. The Contributory Pension Scheme is killing us.”
Joining the protest, Sowore lambasted the Nigerian government and political class for subjecting retired officers to poverty despite their sacrifices.
He said, “I’m not just fighting for the police; I’m fighting with retired policemen. They served this country faithfully and deserve dignity, not exploitation. One day, prayers will stop, and Nigerians will take action.”
The demonstrators vowed to continue their protest until the National Assembly and the Presidency intervene to abolish the pension scheme and investigate the sexual exploitation claims against police authorities.
The protest disrupted activities around the National Assembly for several hours, drawing public sympathy as many passersby condemned the alleged exploitation of widows who lost their spouses to national service.
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