Following the decision of junior police officers to go on strike, the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, would address officers in the Ogun and Lagos commands on Tuesday.
WITHIN NIGERIA reported earlier that some aggrieved rank and file in the Nigeria Police Force had condemned their poor salary, lack of sophisticated weapons to fight crime, bad condition of their barracks, failure to provide uniforms and accoutrements, among others.
The junior policemen queried why operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) receive much higher than they do.
Despite the fact that the force headquarters announced a new salary structure, accoutrements, a tax waiver, and other measures to appease the cops, they said they no longer trust their superiors, claiming they have been pushed to the breaking point.
They demanded N100,000 as the minimum wage, claiming that this would be the first condition for calling off the strike, which is scheduled for March 26, the same day as the All Progressives Congress (APC) national convention.
Worried by the situation, it was reported that the presidency had summoned the Inspector General, warning him that the country could not afford a strike at this time.
As a result, it has been learned that the IGP would address his personnel in Lagos and Ogun States today.
It was gathered that urgent messages were sent to police formations in the two states on Monday, asking them to prepare for the meeting with the police boss.
Cops in Lagos were told to report to the police headquarters in Ikeja by 7 a.m., dressed in their duty uniform.
According to news reports, Baba will return to Ogun to interact with police officers, who were told to be seated at the POWA Secretariat in Eleweran, Abeokuta, by 10 a.m.
Baba is expected to sensitize officers on the measures being implemented to improve police welfare and why they should not engage in any form of strike.