Police warn against planned strike

THE Nigerian Police High Command has warned of dire consequences awaiting any member of the force who embarks on strike.

 Reacting to a threat to embark on strike by a group claiming  to represent police officers to protest alleged inability of authorities to pay up the arrears owed promoted officers  as well as other benefits, the Force Public Relation Officer  Emmanuel Ojukwu, an Acting Commissioner of Police in a telephone  interview with The Guardian, said :”There’s is no threat to strike by personnel of the Police Force. It is the handiwork of detractors outside of the force who are bent on truncating the electoral process.

“ They did not threaten any strike and would not go on strike, because anyone that does so would face the full wrath of the law as the appropriate sanctions would be applied”.

 In a related development, the Ekiti  State Police Command has dissociated itself from the strike threat by the group  which also threatened to sabotage the elections scheduled for March 28 and thereafter.

A statement issued by the Police Command in Ado Ekiti, said the policemen made the promise at an interactive meeting with the Commissioner of Police, Taiwo Lakanu.

“The Commissioner of Police had earlier admonished them against such an action which is inimical to the well being of the force and that the Police have achieved much under the present regime.

 “They assured the Commissioner of Police that their loyalty to Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba, is not in doubt and commended him for putting their welfare first by the promotion in all ranks since he assumed office, prompt payment of salaries and also the recent distribution of vehicles to the Command.

 “They charged him not to be deterred by the strike threat, as all Police Officers in the country know that it is against the law establishing the force to do so,” the statement said.

 Recall that the Inspector General of Police Suleiman Abba had responded to aggrieved officers that the authorities were working towards paying them.

 But the officers, mostly of the rank of Inspector and Assistant Superintendent of Police, were insistent that they had been told the same thing a couple of times and therefore would not participate in the elections, until they are appropriately compensated.

Although the FPRO said “there is no strike, no one will go on strike”, a source within the force said the aggrieved officers  were likely to be paid before the time.