Some personnel of the Nigeria Police Force have threatened to down tools on Monday in protest against the non-payment of fuel subsidy palliative as promised by President Bola Tinubu.
On October 1, 2023, President Tinubu approved N35,000 provisional wage award for all treasury-paid federal government workers for six months, following further consultations with the Federal Government delegation that met with the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC).
The offer followed nationwide outcry due to hardship occasioned by the removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol.
According to the presidential announcement, the gesture would run for six months from October 2023 to March 2024.
However, some police personnel said they have only been paid for one month (October) since the commencement of the provisional wage increment.
They told SaharaReporters on Sunday that their salary accounts were domiciled in First Bank, Guarantee Trust Bank and Police Microfinance Bank.
One of the aggrieved police officers who spoke on condition of anonymity said, "We were paid only once, that is the first month, being October.
"Since then, everything has gone quiet. No one is telling us anything, especially those whose pay points are in First Bank, GTBank and Police Microfinance Bank.”
"With this type of dead silence, we may be forced to take to the streets, possibly tomorrow, Monday to peacefully protest against the non-release of the salary palliative as promised by the president," another officer said.
Efforts to reach the spokesperson for the Force, Muyiwa Adejobi failed as he did not answer calls from SaharaReporters. He also did not reply to a text message sent to his mobile line.