A group of police officers under the banner of the Concerned Police Inspectors in Nigeria (CPIN) staged a peaceful protest in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, over the non-payment of 11 months’ salary arrears.
The officers marched to the Correspondent Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) to express their grievances.
The leader of the delegation, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “Our crime-fighting morale has been dampened by the lack of commitment to our welfare by the police authorities.”
The officers, who were promoted from Inspector II to Inspector I, amount to over 1,500 personnel from various police formations across the state.
They called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to intervene and ensure the payment of their salary arrears, which they say is crucial for their survival in the face of the current harsh economic conditions in the country.
Copies of their appeal were also sent to the Presidency, the National Assembly, and the Police Service Commission (PSC).
The letter, addressed to the IGP, reads in part: “We are over 1,500 personnel of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Akwa Ibom Command, promoted from Inspector II to Inspector I, by the IGP effective from September 10, 2023, with a signal dated March 21, 2024.
“Till date, we are still collecting old salaries as junior Inspectors instead of senior Inspectors since the IGP gave us the confirmation letters. So, we have nowhere to run to than to the federal government which is our employer.”
The officers expressed their discomfort with what they described as “inhuman treatment” by the IGP. They pointed out that after many years of service, they are being denied their entitlements.
“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 is deliberately short-paying us for 11 months now, and by calculation, the shortfall is over N550,000 each,” they lamented.
The protesting officers urged the IGP to address their concerns promptly, stressing that the delay in payment is causing significant hardship for them and their families.
They also called on the federal government to intervene and ensure that they receive their due salaries.
You employ people to guide and protect you and you are not paying them their due. What sense is there. If proper care is not taking, they will use the arms you gave them to guide and protect you against you, because a hungry man is an angry man.