The Police in Rivers State on Wednesday stopped retired civil servants from going ahead with their protest to the state Government House, Port Harcourt.
Retirees in the State had taken to major streets in the state capital on a peaceful demostration to protest their unpaid gratuities and pension arrears from 2012 till date.
Our reporter reports that the pensioners in their numbers marched from the state Secretariat, heading towards the Government House, their supposed final destination, before the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, CP Eboka Friday intercepted them at NIPOST head office in Old GRA, Port Harcourt.
The CP pleaded with them to suspend the protest, promising to convey their message to the Governor for quick intervention.
Some of the retirees told our reporter that the non payment of their gratuity and pension arrears have caused them untold hardship, stressing that most of their members have died without collecting their retirement benefits.
The retirees regretted the Governor Nyesom Wike led government’s continued neglect on their demands, despite several appeals made.
