Yemi Obafemi
Human rights activist and 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has decried the poor remuneration of police officers in Nigeria, calling for urgent reforms to improve their welfare and pensions.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday, Sowore criticized the massive disparity between the salaries of lawmakers and the security personnel assigned to protect them.
“I mentioned earlier that an average senator takes home ₦30 million per month, but the senator can’t leave home except they are accompanied by the police. So, why is it that senators are taking home ₦30 million per month, but the policeman cannot earn ₦500,000 per month?” he queried.
Sowore emphasized that ₦500,000 — roughly $300 — is meager compared to global standards and insufficient in a country battling high inflation and rising living costs. He further criticized the management of police pensions, noting that workers at Police Pension Limited earn over ₦1 million monthly, while retired officers live in poverty.
“The people whose pension they are managing are dying of poverty. Sometimes, you just wake up in this country and wonder if anybody is thinking,” he said.
He condemned the harsh realities faced by long-serving officers, stating: “How do you serve a country for 35 years and your monthly salary is ₦57,000, maybe ₦140,000, depending on your rank? How do you survive in a country where the inflation rate is at 24 per cent, where you have to pay the school fees of your children, and where you have to treat your children if they are sick?”
Sowore urged the government to align its priorities with the needs of those genuinely serving the country, insisting that frontline workers deserve fair compensation and dignified retirement.
