About 400+ newly recruited Constabularies into the Nigeria Police Force as a complement to secure Osun State went on protest on Wednesday over non-payment of their salaries.
The protesters were at the strategic places such as Oke –fia, Alekuwodo/Akindeko/ Olaiya Flyover areas of the State.
The angry Constabularies were asking the government to pay their 18 months salaries after the completion of their training since May, 2021.
The protesters were seen carrying placards with various inscriptions ; ‘’Pay our salary now’’ , ‘’Okada riders are sleeping with our wives’’, ‘’Pay us our 18 months salary’’, pay us our Stipend and Allowances’’, 18 months without kobo’’ and many more.
Speaking with journalists, Constable Tijani Adewale ,who expressed his sympathy with the aggrieved Constabularies , said despite the fact that they have not been paid, they were really committed to duties . He said, that no fewer than three Constabularies have lost their lives in the course of discharging their duties.
According to Const. Tijani,’’ We have gone to the Local Government , Honourables and some Dignitaries and yet nothing is done’’.
‘’We lost three persons in Ikire and one in Iree. These people died in the course of discharging their duties. We are very dutiful despite the fact that we have not been paid a Kobo.
Addressing the protesters, the Commissioner of Police , Adewale Olokode ordered them to stop the protest in a jiffy and assured them that the appropriate authority in charge of their grievances would address the issues.
‘’You are embarrassing the Force with your protest, you should have channeled your grievances through the appropriate quarters.
‘’As long as you are wearing this uniform, we expect you to maintain high level of discipline as Force men’’.
ACP Kayode Ayilara, the Area Commander , who had earlier came to the to the scene of the protest , urged the Constabularies to suspend the protest , saying ‘it’s embarrassing and uncalled for, seeing them protesting in uniforms. He said , they could have channeled their grievances through the appropriate quarters instead of disturbing the public peace.
In a related development, some police officers with the Osun State Command also complained to pressmen that they were yet to be paid their duty allowances for covering the Osun July 16 , governorship election, ,which is almost two months after the exercise.
The officers who preferred anonymity told newsmen that about 140 officers from the State Investigation Bureau (SIB), 30 from Explosive Ordinance Disposal(EOD), and about 160 Mobile Police Officers of Mopol 39 are yet to be paid.
One of the officers said , all other police officers deployed for the election coverage had received their allowances , including those deployed from outside the State.
He pleaded with the Inspector General of Police(IGP) to look into their matter .