Thousands of police constables who were recently recruited into the Nigeria Police Force are lamenting the non-payment of their salaries for the past seven months.
The recruits who passed out of the police training institutions on December 29, 2022, had lamented they have not been paid for months despite resuming at their duty posts across the country.
Two days after the report, the Police Service Commission (PSC) through its spokesperson, Ikechukwu Ani said the salary payment for the constables had been approved.
Ani said the approval was in the interest of national security, anchored on the need to amicably resolve the lingering recruitment issues between PSC and the Nigeria Police Force.
The statement had read, “The Police Service Commission has approved salary payments for the 2021/2022 Police recruits who passed out of the Police Colleges and have been in formal Police work in different Police Commands and formations since the past six months without salary.
“The Commission’s decision was reached in the interest of national security anchored on the need to amicably resolve the lingering issues of recruitment between the Commission and the Nigeria Police Force which have occasioned untold hardship on the Police Constables.
“The Commission’s prompt response also followed outcry and appeals from Nigerians that the 2021/2022 Police recruits who are yet to be enrolled into the Federal Government’s Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, IPPIS, and who had not received salaries, six months after they passed out from the Police Colleges and duly posted to Police Commands and formations for active Police work, are not made victims of the face-off between the Commission and the Nigeria Police Force.”
However, a month after the alleged approval, it was gathered that the new police recruits were yet to be paid.
Speaking to SaharaReprters, a female constable serving in Akwa Ibom State said she now relies on s€x work to survive.
“2021 constables have not been paid; we are not yet paid at all. Others have gotten their salaries. Na ashawo I dey take chop now ooo (Now I rely on prostitution to feed),” she said.
Another affected officer said, “These people have refused to pay the salaries up till now. After making a public announcement that it had been approved since May 5, that’s last month.”
Also speaking, a new recruit serving in Borno said the situation had demoralised many of them.
“It’s over a month now and these people haven’t paid us yet. People are outside there risking their lives and dying of starvation. We haven’t received anything yet from the federal government. President Bola Tinubu should help us and find something to do.
“They have paid salaries to other personnel of the force but it only remains 2021 intakes that are yet to be paid. We are dying of hunger.”
