In response to unpaid wage arrears, Nigerian police officers known as the Concerned Police Inspectors protested on Thursday outside the Nigeria Union of Journalists’ Correspondent Chapel in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, according to Punch.... CLICK TO READ THE FULL NEWS HERE▶▶
These officers, who came from various police formations, chose to speak anonymously as they voiced their dissatisfaction with the police authorities’ neglect of their financial welfare, which they claimed had adversely affected their effectiveness in their crime-fighting duties.
The officers, numbering around 1,500, had recently been promoted from Inspector 11 to Inspector 1. They appealed to Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun to intervene and ensure the payment of their overdue salaries. They stressed that receiving these payments was essential to manage the harsh economic conditions facing their families.
In their appeal letter addressed to IGP Egbetokun and copied to the presidency, national assembly, and Police Service Commission, the officers detailed their situation. Despite their promotion effective September 10, 2023, and a signal dated March 21, 2024, they reported that they were still being paid as junior inspectors. This discrepancy, they said, had left them without the financial compensation due to their elevated ranks.
They reported that the total arrears accumulated over the past 11 months amounted to over N550,000 per officer.
They said, “We can no longer feed our families or pay their bills due to the high cost of essential items in the market. It’s difficult to believe that after being celebrated with our families for being elevated to another level, the IGP has been deliberately short-paying us for 11 months now, and by calculation, the shortfall is over N550,000 each.
“When we contacted our pay officers, their reason is always that the IPPS has been returning our voucher because no directive from the IGP. So we ask; between our IGP and the Police authority, who should take matters of our welfare more seriously?”
The protestors also highlighted that since IGP Egbetokun took office, there had been a focus on issues such as dress codes rather than addressing pressing financial matters.
“Since he assumed office as IGP, Mr. Egbetokun, had been promoting officers without commensurate payment of their financial accompaniments. The only signal we have been receiving from him, from Abuja, is dressing code, dressing code and dressing code, what are we going to use to buy the uniforms if our due salaries have not been paid?,” they said.
