CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the public relations officer for the Nigerian Police Force, has drawn flak for a slew of tweets he sent out stating that police employees’ salary arrears had not been paid.
A new pay scale had been authorized by President Buhari in 2021. For the Force, President Muhammadu Buhari gave his approval.
The approved police salary system, whose implementation was intended to have begun in January 2022, instead began in July 2022 with only one month’s worth of arrears and six months still owing.
Some of the impacted personnel had claimed to SaharaReporters that the police had misappropriated the monies.
Adejobi, who had previously denied that the policemen were being owned, said in a series of tweets on Monday that the force had begun paying the six-month arrears.
He also mocked SaharaReporters newspaper for its several reports on the non-payment of the fund.
“POLICE SALARY INCREMENT ARREARS: I have been waiting patiently to see or read from the news platform that published the non-payment of the 6-month arrears for some senior inspectors and officers, attacking the IGP unreasonably, It should have deemed it necessary to inform Nigerians again that the payment of the arrears has commenced, in fact, 97% have been paid, if not all,” he posted.
“Or is it not aware that the payment has commenced since a week ago? No breaking on it yet. Lol. Now, it’s clear that the platform that broke the news is always against the NPF, but it should have at least reported the payment since it claims professionalism and objectiveness. The officers who ran to and involved it too ought to have informed that platform of the payment.
“Now, they received the arrears and kept quiet. Thanks to the FG and IGP for making it a reality. We appreciate those who have made it realisable. God bless you all. And for those who have been good critics in all areas of policing in Nigeria, we love you all. Ire oo.”
But the tweets did not go down well with Nigerian Twitter users who described him as an unprofessional image maker.
They wondered why the policemen were initially owned, adding that “a hungry policeman is sometimes worse than a dangerous criminal”.
