Personnel of the Nigeria Police Force have issued a threat to embark on a strike starting Monday to protest the non-payment of the fuel subsidy palliative promised by President Bola Tinubu. The President had, on October 1, 2023, approved a provisional wage award of N35,000 for all treasury-paid federal government workers, including the police, for a six-month period, as a response to the nationwide outcry over the removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
Despite the announcement indicating the palliative would run from October 2023 to March 2024, some police personnel claim to have received payment only for the first month, October. The affected officers, with salary accounts domiciled in First Bank, Guarantee Trust Bank, and Police Microfinance Bank, expressed frustration over the lack of communication regarding the subsequent payments.
An anonymous police officer stated, “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.” Another officer warned of a possible peaceful protest starting Monday if the situation persists.
Efforts to contact the spokesperson for the Nigeria Police Force, Muyiwa Adejobi, were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to calls or text messages from SaharaReporters. The threatened strike highlights growing discontent among police personnel over delayed wage payments and the need for swift resolution to avert potential disruptions.
