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Summary
Widows and wives of retired police officers protested at the National Assembly in Abuja, demanding better welfare and payment of their entitlements. They also claimed that police officials demand sexual favours before releasing their late husbands’ gratuities.
Widows and wives of retired police officers staged a protest at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja on October 7, 2025. They protested against poor welfare, unpaid gratuities, and sexual exploitation by officials of the Nigeria Police Force.
The women expressed dissatisfaction over what they described as years of neglect, injustice, and humiliation suffered by families of officers who served the nation. They were also joined in the protest by retired officers and human rights activist Omoyele Sowore.
Speaking during the protest, some of the widows reported that officials demand sex before processing or releasing their late husbands’ gratuities.
One of the protesters 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.”
The protesters also called for the removal of the Nigeria Police Force from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), describing it as “fraudulent and exploitative.” They maintained that the scheme has deepened the hardship faced by retired officers and their families, leaving many widows and children destitute.
They further lamented that during their husbands’ years of active service, officers were not provided with adequate protective gear, such as bulletproof vests, and were often the first to be injured or killed during operations.
The women called on the National Assembly to immediately remove retired policemen from the pension scheme, lamenting that their children are suffering and many widows have yet to receive their entitlements years after their husbands’ deaths.
The group vowed to continue their demonstrations until the National Assembly and the Presidency intervene to abolish the Contributory Pension Scheme and investigate the reports of sexual exploitation against police authorities.
