Despite moves by the Nigerian government and Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba to dissuade junior police officers from embarking on a strike, the cops have insisted that there is no going back on the planned industrial action.
Speaking to SaharaReporters, one of the leaders of the aggrieved officers said the failure of the Muhammadu Buhari-led government to increase their salaries and address other demands before 11:59 pm on March 25 will lead to a total shutdown of police stations across the country.
He urged well-meaning Nigerians to persuade the Nigerian government to look into the plights of officers of the Nigeria Police Force.
“We are giving the federal government between today and 11:59 pm of 25 March (Friday), failure to pay the new salary arrangements, and other demands the strike action will begin.
“I urge the well-meaning Nigerians to persuade the federal government to look into the plights of the Nigeria Police Force. We are suffering. Remember that the greatness or otherwise of any nation depends on how good their Police are taken care of.
“We are ever ready and willing to put in our best in performance of our various duties, but as the saying goes ‘a hungry man is an angry man’, we can’t give what we don’t have. Policemen are hungry.
“Recall that after the #EndSARS saga, the Nigerian government accepted the recommendations of the organisers which includes increased salary for police officers, better working conditions, habitable barracks, up to date crime-fighting equipment, etc. But as we speak, none of those recommendations has been met.
“On three different occasions after the #EndSARS protest, Nigerian government have publicly claimed to increase police salaries. We only read them on the news.
“Our demands are payment of minimum salary of N100,000, removal of police from Pension administrators, procurement of up-to-date crime-fighting equipment for the police, building habitable barracks for the officers and men of Nigeria police and improving working conditions for Nigeria Police Force.”
