IGP Baba Issues Fresh Directives To State Commands ahead of planned strike

The management of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has moved to stop the agitation by some junior officers.

Rank and file in the police force had threatened to embark on a nationwide strike over unfair treatment which includes their salary structure and welfare.

The industrial action by the operatives is scheduled to commence on Saturday, March 26 until a positive response is given to their demands.

The planned strike is, however, in doubt as the Inspector General of Police, Usman Akali Baba, has made new moves to nip it in the bud.

Heads of all police formations across the nation have fallen in line with IGP Baba’s directive and have ordered that all personnel attached to them must be at work as early as 8 a.m. on Saturday.

By this, no officer will be able to stage any protest or hang his or her uniform at home as the order stated that any policeman who fails to report for duty on Saturday, would be treated as having an ulterior motive in sympathy with calls for the strike.

As a result, Commissioners of Police, DPOs and other heads of departments are expected to render hourly situation reports about happenings in their areas until stand down, even supervising officers are to maintain a register in all offices of the command and formations.

States that no officer is allowed to travel without permission as doing so would be severely sanctioned.

The Inspector-General had in the past few days engaged the rank and file in lectures, dissuading them to stop the planned industrial action.

The presidency is understood to have also stepped in by telling the police boss that a strike would not be tolerated at a time like this.

Meanwhile, Junior officers of the Nigeria Police Force have lamented in phases the poor treatment given them.

They expressed displeasure over the failure of the force to implement the new police salary structure, using their counterparts in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission who receive much higher pay as points of reference.

The junior officer’s monthly take-home is currently pegged at N47,000, a token not enough for average citizens to survive considering the current high cost of living.

The police rank and file also condemned the non-provision of uniforms and accoutrements, lack of modern weapons to fight criminals, delay in promotions and the poor state of their barracks.

To shelve their planned strike, the junior cops demanded that their minimum wage be increased to N100,000 per month, calling for the stoppage of the contributory pension scheme.

However, IGP Baba is assuring the officers that the new salary structure would be implemented as soon as possible, including tax waivers for the rank and file.

On Thursday, the Acting Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, announced the distribution of uniforms, kits and vehicles.

The is also as the IGP has ordered the compilation of names of junior officers promoted in 2018 for another promotion.

It was learnt that issues that have to do with the contributory pensions scheme are already before the National Assembly for consideration, while efforts are said to be on for the renovation of barracks.