Strike: IGP Orders Immediate Payment Of Salary Increase

Salaries of police officers and men across the country have been increased by 20per cent Implementation of the increase starts from January this year.

The police had threatened to embark on strike over poor conditions of service.

But addressing the Ebonyi State Police Command, Assistant Inspector-General of Police in-charge of Zone 9, Umuahia, Isaac Akinmoyede urged the policemen not to embark on strike and remain committed to their duties.

He disclosed that the Inspector General of Police, Alkali Baba has ordered the computation of the new salary structure and its immediate payment.

“Efforts are being made to better their welfare. Already, the Inspector General of Police has ordered that the computation of the salary increase should be made and it should be paid immediately.

“Apart from that, there are other things the IGP has done in order to improve the welfare of the police; talk of the housing policy, it has been improved, talk of social media policy, talk of gender policy, talk of model police stations that he has started constructing.

“So, all these things are the things the Inspector- General of Police and the management team are doing to make the members of the force happy. Not quite long, vehicles were distributed to all the commands across the country. So, as time progresses, the force will continue to access the needs of the police and see how those things are satisfied,” he said.

The state Commissioner of Police, Garba Aliyu opined that Ebonyi Command of the force will not join any strike. Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police yesterday met with officers of the Ogun State Police Command over the planned strike action by officers.

The police boss, who was represented by the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) in charge of South-West zone, Johnson Kokumo, met the officers with the officers at command’s headquarters in Eleweran, Abeokuta, the state capital.

The IG appealed to the officers to shelve their planned strike action, saying the government was ready to provide all the requirements needed for them to carry out the duties professionally.

The police boss noted that he was at the command for an operation visit to the officers in the state command. While addressing the officers, Baba enjoined the officers to observe and obey the law and respect the rights of the citizens. Baba also reminded the corps of their duties as the lead security agency in the country that is saddled with the responsibility of protecting the citizens.

He said: “As officers, we have to observe and obey the law. We have to ensure we use our power with confine of the law. “Conduct yourself professionally. Let there be a healthy respect of the rights of the citizens, we are to protect.

“We want to see a Nigerian Police Force that is people friendly, professional and that has respect for the rights of the citizens.

The public will then see us as their friends when we do these.” Earlier, the Ogun Commissioner of Police, Lanre Bankole, assured the IGP of complete loyalty to the Nigerian police force, adding that the command would be professional in discharging its duties.

He said: “I want to assure you that no member of this command will involve in any form of planned strike action.

“I am sure I am speaking the minds of the officers who are here including the generality of the member of the Nigerian police force, Ogun State Command.

“We must assure you and we also want you to take this message to the inspector general of police that our loyalty to the Nigerian police force is total 100 per cent.