Nigerian Police Detain Inspector In Abuja For Protesting Against Non-Payment Of Six-Month Arrears

Inspector Daniel Ezeaku, an Inspector of the Nigeria Police Force, has been arrested. according to SaharaReporters.

The officer, who complained about the non-payment of personnel’s six months arrears of the new salary structure President Muhammadu Buhari approved for the Force in 2021 has been arrested.

The officer identified as Inspector Daniel Ezeaku was arrested at Queens barracks in Apapa, Lagos State, during the weekend and moved to Abuja where he is currently being detained, multiple sources told SaharaReporters.

President Buhari had in 2021 approved a new salary structure President Muhammadu Buhari approved for the Force.

The approved police salary structure which its implementation supposed to have commenced in January 2022 only started in July 2022 with only one month arrears of payment, with six months outstanding.

Sources however told SaharaReporters that personnel on grade levels 03, 04, 05, 06 and a few 07 police officers were paid part of the arrears while those in grade levels 08, 09, 10 and 11 were not paid.

They added that Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs) up to the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, had however been paid four months arrears.

Those affected by the nonpayment of the salary arrears include senior inspectors, Assistant Superintendents of Police, Deputy Superintendents of Police, Superintendents of Police, and Chief Superintendents of Police.

SaharaReporters recently reported that men and officers of the Lagos State Command aggrieved over the non-payment of the arrears, threatened to embark on protest to press down their grievances.

However, reacting to the planned protest by the aggrieved police officers, the IGP in a circular dated January 16, 2023 and sent to all the zonal Commands across the country, said that those who had not been paid their salary arrears were as a result of shortage of fund as the money released by the Nigerian government led by President Muhammadu Buhari was not enough.

The circular seen by SaharaReporters had read, “It has come to notice of the Inspector General of Police that some policemen in Lagos State Command are allegedly planning a protest over misinformation on non-payment of the arrears of salary from January to June 2022.

“It should be noted that payment of the arrears from January to June 2022 had been made for all Constables up to unconfirmed inspectors, as the fund released by the federal government could not pay all personnel.

“As a result, Inspector-General of Police in his magnanimity ordered that payment should start from Constables upward. Be assured that payment for Confirmed Inspectors and Officers Cadre will be effected as soon as fund is released by the federal government.

“Inspector-General of Police directs that heads of commands and formations make this a subject of lecture to their men accordingly. Protest in any form will be construed as mutiny.”

Speaking to SaharaReporters on Tuesday, some Deputy Superintendents of Police accused the police authorities of diverting the fund.

One of them added that one of his colleagues who spoke out against the non-payment of the arrears was arrested during the weekend and was being detained in Abuja.

“One of our police inspectors was arrested last weekend. They accused him of going to social media to announce that our 6 months arrears had not been paid.

“Those that arrested him came from Abuja. We suspect the force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi of being behind his arrest. We affected officers were also warned not to talk about the money we were being owed again.

“It’s glaring the authorities don't want to pay these arrears before the general elections. So they have started threatening affected officers not to disclose the information on social media again. The guy arrested, Inspector Daniel Ezeaku was tracked from Abuja to Apapa Queens barracks.”