The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has disclosed that police personnel in the country would begin to earn an upgraded salary adding that both the serving and retired officials would now enjoy health insurance.
The IGP made the disclosure on Thursday while reiterating the resolve of the police authorities and the Federal Government to stand by the police as they return to their various duty posts in keeping with the directives.
During his working visit to the Oyo State Command in company with the Deputy Inspector-General of Police for the South-West, Leye Oyebade, weeks after the violent attack on some of the officials during the #EndSARS protest, Adamu noted that masterminds of the #EndSARS protest did not envisage the fatality that trailed the nationwide protest.
He said, “There were lesser fatalities during the protest because the police did not use firearms. We commend the officers and men for being professional in their conducts. Police can use firearms when there is unrest or violence, when suspects resist arrest and when their lives are endangered.”
Assuring members of the public of police presence at strategic duty posts despite the attacks on some personnel and facilities during the last protest, he said many of the officers and men on duty carry out operations while in mufti.
He said, “Each policeman has his beat. If you are standing on the street and counting how many police officers do you have there you are not being just because you don’t know how they are being deployed. Things are changing day in day out. In our reform process, we have more officers that are not in uniform moving around. We don’t want you to know them and they are doing their job.
“Security is everybody’s business. Don’t wait and say until you see soldiers, police, immigration etc. along the street. Officers are deployed. Everybody comes to work and goes to his duty post. All of us should be up and doing, not just looking around and saying whether policeman is there or not. Policemen are everywhere. If they are not there, believe me, you will not be able to come out because hoodlums would come out and attack you.
“When a policeman is in service, he is entitled to health insurance but when he retires it stops but this government says no, it should not stop. In retirement, you must continue to enjoy health insurance. Our salary, right from myself down, government has given approval to upgrade our salary. We have made a commitment that when the time of promotion is due, everybody that is entitled is promoted. Course mates must move together at the same time so that we don’t have course mates that are seniors to the others.
“Those that lost their lives during #EndSARS protest, the government is going to compensate them and their families. We have already promoted some of them and other packages are coming for them. Government is behind you and we are behind you. Go out there; perform your duties with all the courage and authority of police officer within the procedure and be civil.
“If anything happens, it may be a mistake or oversight. We would stand beside you and defend you. I believe that the morale will be back and that everybody posted to duty posts would be up and doing in protecting lives and property and making sure that there is sanity.”
The Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Nwachukwu Enwonwu, described the IGP’s visit as timely and a morale booster, saying the commitment of the command towards protection of lives and property would be re-doubled.
