The Nigeria Police Force has warned that it would not tolerate any iota of indiscipline in form of a strike or work-to-rule among its personnel.
It also warned the public to desist from inciting Junior Police Officers to disrespect their oath of office, advising the officers to desist from doing so because of its grave consequences.
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Suleiman Abba, gave the warning in a statement signed by the Force’s Spokesman, Emmanuel Ojukwu, on Thursday.
The warning is sequel to the insistence by some aggrieved police officers that unless their salaries and promotion arrears are paid before March 28, they would make sure they disrupt the forthcoming elections by embarking on strike.
The IGP warned that “any officer found to be engaged in such a despicable act will be arrested and sanctioned in line with the Police Regulation and the Laws of the Federation.”
“It has come to the notice of the IGP, Suleiman Abba, that some members of the public have adopted the mischievous path of inciting Junior Police Officers to disrespect their oath of office.
“While warning such members of the public to desist from this unholy attitude, the IGP wishes to draw attention to the dangers inherent in police officers disobeying superior orders and acting outside the code of conduct. It does not portend well for public safety and security, and is a threat to our democracy,” the top Force hierarchy said.
The IGP further reiterated that every effort was being made to meet the welfare needs of all Police personnel including the payment of promotion arrears which has since commenced with the payment to the promoted officers of salaries attendant on their new ranks.
Meanwhile, the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 6 Command, with its headquarters in Calabar, Cross River State, Tunde Ogunsakin, has warned that any strike embarked upon by policemen would be treated as mutiny.
Ogunsakin, who spoke in Calabar on Thursday while addressing officers and men of the command, dispelled rumour of any impending strike in the Force.
He said the Police Force had assured its personnel of better welfare packages before, during and after the forthcoming general elections.
He said none of the officers and men in his command intended to embark on the protest.
He warned that it would amount to mutiny for any police personnel to engage in strike.
“There is no doubt that any deviation from the oath of allegiance is not only unpatriotic but amounts to mutiny, to say the least, and would be met with appropriate punishments and sanctions,” he said.
Ogunsakin described the purported strike as a figment of the imagination of those who concocted it, adding that the policemen were expected to deliver essential security services to Nigerian people at all times.
He reiterated the resolve of the police authorities to address the issue of alleged outstanding promotion arrears owed the personnel.
The AIG said: “On the promotion arrears that officers and men are being owed, the Inspector General of Police have already taken up the matter with the appropriate authorities.
