FG Has Approved Salary Increase For Police, Says IGP

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu, said on Thursday that the Federal Government had approved salary increase for all policemen in the country.

The IGP said this during his visit to the Oyo State Police Command, Ibadan to boost the morale of his officers and men following the killing of their coleagues during the October #EndSARS protest which turned violent.

Some policemen were killed and roasted by hoodlums during the violent protest while police stations were attacked and arms carted away. The attacks were said to have demoralized policemen across the country but the IGP said they should return to duties and make the country safe .

He said as part of the efforts to boost their morale, the Federal Government had approved the increase in the salaries of all police personnel and to capture retired policemen in the health insurance.

Adamu said, “This government says in your retirement, you must continue to enjoy health insurance. Now all police officers on retirement are captured in the health insurance. The government has given approval to upgrade our salaries right from myself down. 

“We have made it a commitment that when a time for promotion is due, everybody that is entitled for promotion will be promoted. We made it as a policy that course mates will move  together at the same time. Those that lost their lives during this #EndSARS, the government will compensate their families.”

He urged the policemen to return to duty and protect lives and properties of the people.

He also told them to use their firearms when their lives were in danger.

He urged them to be civil in carrying out their duties, saying the government and the force would be behind them even if mistakes should happen while performing their lawful duties.

The IGP said, “Every Nigerian has their rights, they are called human rights, you too have your rights as human beings and you must protect your rights. Nobody will trample upon your right and go free in as much as you too protect the rights of other Nigerians. You are not supposed to be demoralized.

“Constitutionally, you have the duties to perform in this country, duties to protect lives and property and to fight crime. Therefore, no amount of insult, attacks should prevent you from performing your constitutional duties. We encourage you to go out there and perform your duties the way you were trained to do and you must be civil to members of society.

“Be courageous in doing your job and in the course of doing your job, if anything happens, we will stand by you. But never shy away from performing your duties. If you shy away from performing your duties it means the whole society will be in trouble, the criminals will come out.

“When it is necessary for you to use your firearm, you must use it. Remember the conditions under which you can use it- when there is a riot, you can use your firearm, when people are running away from lawful custody, you can use it. Protection of public assets, you can use your firearm, when your life is in danger and there are no other means to protect yourself, you can use your firearm.

“But you are not supposed to kill, you are supposed to use your firearm to restrain them but not to kill. During the #EndSARS protest that turned violent, many of you showed maximum restraint in dealing with the protesters.

“You were professional to the core in dealing with the protest. You showed maximum restraint and that was why we didn’t have a lot of casualties. So, thank you for that. If you have used your firearm, we would have got a lot of casualties and it would have been a different story. The whole world knows how professional we are.”