Speaking to SaharaReporters, the officers accused the police authorities of corruption and extortion.
Some personnel of the Nigeria Police Force have cried out that their monthly salaries are being deducted by the authorities without explanations.
Speaking to SaharaReporters, the officers accused the police authorities of corruption and extortion.
They also expressed their displeasure over the failure of the police leadership to pay up the six months’ arrears of the new salary structure approved by President Muhammadu Buhari for the force since 2021.
The aggrieved officers said the approved police salary structure which its implementation supposed to have commenced in January 2022 only started in July 2022 with only one month arrears of payment.
They accused the police leadership of not paying the amount approved in the new salary structure for each rank.
“Please help us out, Nigeria government is not ready to pay our outstanding arrears, our Inspector-General of Police (Usman Baba) shifted the blame on IPPIS (Integrated Payment and Personnel Information System). However, we are confused, N30,000 was deducted from my salary in what was paid last month,” a police inspector told SaharaReporters.
“Last year July, the Nigerian government promised that our new payment will start by January this year 2022. We planned strike action by March this year. The government promised of paying the money very soon. Actually by July 12 this year, they stated the payment with one month arrear and promised that the remaining arrears of six months will be paid subsequently.
“They started the paying us according to the new salary structure by August this year but the salary for Inspectors like me was cut by N30,000 and likewise this September salary.
“The new salary ought to be paid in full. I’m sending SaharaReporters a 20% chart for better understanding. The take home pay of an unconfirmed Inspector plus N57,000 which is 20% was not complete, N30,000 was removed, ask any police man for confirmation. I'm an unconfirmed Inspector. Sadly, there is no explanation over the deduction.”
“Now the remaining arrears were not paid as promised. The IGP denied that the problem is from IPPIS and they are waiting for cash banking from Finance Ministry. But we don't believe in our leaders as they can keep the money in any bank for their selfish interests so that they can collect interest on that money or snake may swallow it as snake swallowed money in JAMB (Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board) last time.”
Another police officer who spoke to SaharaReporters on condition of anonymity said, “My money was deducted as well without explanation; same as that of my colleagues. Even before the new salary structure was approved, our money has always been deducted without any explanation, sometimes N3,000 and above but not exceeding N5,000 without explanation.
“Cheating is too much in the police force, illegal deduction of salaries because they know we can't complain. If you ask them at our MSS where our salaries is been prepared, they will tell you to ask IPPIS. Who are we going to ask at IPPIS?
“Since last year, some months N3,000 while some months was N5,000. Please we are in democracy, freedom of speech is accepted but not in police as we will be charged for mutiny and mutiny’s penalty is dismissal.”