Edward Egbuka, the Police Commissioner for Kogi State has warned police officers against going on strike.
The commissioner gave the warning in a press statement signed by the command’s spokesman, Williams Ovye-Aya.
Egbuka warned:
Any form of strike or protest by police personnel is tantamount to mutiny, and defaulters will be severely punished.
During a meeting with area commanders, divisional police officers, heads of department, and sectional heads, the commissioner had sounded a strong warning against “unwanted act from officers and men” of the command.
He added:
This warning must be passed down to the inspectors and rank and file of the command as our Inspector General (IGP), Alkali Baba-Usman, is committed to all officers’ welfare and wellbeing.
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In a document referenced 4001/AJR/NPF/ABJ/VOL 7/188 addressed to the Inspector General of Police Usman Alkali Baba, the aggrieved officers asserted that “strike is the only language Nigerian government understand(s).”
“No police, no democracy, 26/03/22 is the date, Eagles Square is the venue,” stated the police officers in the document addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari’s government.
According to him, the IGP has initiated various programmes to provide a conducive working environment for the personnel.
He listed the initiatives to include increment in salaries and allowances, stop tax deductions for inspectors and rank and file effective January 2022.
Others are the provision of adequate uniforms, kits and accoutrements to inspectors and rank and file and a review of the police housing policy to provide affordable housing units for police officers, especially the junior ranks.
Citing marked disparity in their salaries compared to their counterparts serving with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigerian police officers have signalled their resolve to commence a nationwide strike on March 26.
The protest tagged ‘We are tired of negligence’ is scheduled to be held at the Eagles Square in Abuja to reiterate their demands to the federal government.
