Government approves salary increase for Nigeria Police officers from 2022: Minister

*The Minister for Police Affairs says the Federal Government’s decision to jack up the officers’ salaries is in response to one of the demands made during the #EndSARS protests in 2020

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

In response to one of the demands made during the #EndSARS protests October 2020, the Federal Government has approved an upward review of Nigeria Police officers and men with effect from next year.

The approval was given at the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari Wednesday, December 15, 2021, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, FCT.

President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, at FEC meeting in the Presidential Villa, Abuja

ConsumerConnect gathered Maigari Dingyadi, Honourable Minister for Police Affairs noted that the government’s decision to jack up the officers’ salaries was in response to one of the demands made during the #EndSARS protests in 2020.

The Minister said that the review would be up by 20 percent.

Approval of N1.12billion had been given for payment of officers’ outstanding uninsured benefits from 2013 to 2020, Dingyadi was quoted to have said.

According to him, the sum of N13.128 billion was approved for outstanding death benefits for 5,472 Police personnel.

He, however, said that the payment would only commence after the auditor-general of federation must have scrutinised it.

Also in her remarks on the development, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, Honourable Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, told reporters in Abuja, that the upward salary review for the Nigeria Police was not captured in the 2022 Appropriations Bill.

She, however, disclosed that the government would raise a supplementary budget to the National Assembly (NASS) for consideration in this regard.

Recall that during the #EndSARS protests October last year, protesters had demanded, among several things, that the Federal Government should increase Police salaries and that officers and men should adequately be compensated for protecting lives and property of the citizens across the country.

The government November 2020, subsequently, directed the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission to finalise a new salary structure for operatives of the Police.

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