Police dismiss claims of strike as fake, mischievous

The Nigeria Police Force on Monday described as fake and mischievous claims of purported plans by its personnel to embark on strike.

The police made the clarification in a statement by the acting Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi.

He said the claims, circulating in some social media handles, on plans by some personnel of the force to embark on strike from March 26, was a mischievous attempt by unscrupulous individuals.

Adejobi said the claims was to bring the force to disrepute, misinform the public and heat up the polity.

“It is pertinent to restate that the Nigeria Police Force is a regimented and disciplined organisation with laid down rules and guidelines for addressing grievances and in no circumstance is a strike action one of such means.

“The men and women of the Nigeria Police Force are fully aware that a strike action or other deliberate disruption of law enforcement services by any security organisation is mutinous.

“Personnel of the Force would not degenerate at any point to that level of disloyalty and indiscipline, as policing services are paramount and essential in the maintenance of orderliness and peace in the nation,” he said.

Adejobi said the Inspector General of Police (IG-P), Usman Baba Alkali, was accelerating efforts to ensure full implementation of the increment of salaries and allowances proposed by President Muhammadu Buhari and approved by the Federal Executive Council.

He said it was important to accentuate that it was the president’s initiative without any demand from the Police to direct the process of increasing salaries and allowances.

Adejobi said the Federal Government was fully committed to the implementation of the new salary package.

“Since the approval, the Salaries, Income and Wages Commission has issued an implementation circular.

“The Minister of Police Affairs and the I-G have been working with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to ensure the stoppage of tax deductions as directed by the President and approved by the Federal Executive Council,” he added.

The FPRO said police officers under the leadership of the current IG-P were well motivated with the ongoing reforms, especially the provision of kits, accoutrements, body armour and the cooperative society’s housing scheme.

He said the administration had also embarked on the renovation of training schools, upgrade of police training curriculum, procurement and deployment of technology to boost ICT-driven policing.