A social media post has claimed that some concerned police inspectors in Akwa Ibom state were protesting over unpaid 11 months salary.
The claim posted on X was accompanied by a photo showing some police personnel holding placards with inscriptions like “SOME ARE DEAD”.
The photo has since been shared across different social media platform including Facebook, and has so far garnered over 1.1k likes, 54 quotes, 662 reposts and 238 comments.
The claim comes days after the suspension of the #EndBadGovernance protest in Nigeria, with several reports of violence and police aiming teargas canisters at protesters.
“IT’S CALL TURN BY TURN !! Economic hardship —Angry police operatives protest unpaid salaries for 11 months,” the post reads in part.
“A group of police officers under the banner of the Concerned Police Inspectors in Nigeria (CPIN) staged a peaceful protest in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, over the non-payment of 11 months’ salary arrears.
“The officers, who were promoted from Inspector II to Inspector I, amount to over 1,500 personnel from various police formations across the state.
“They called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to intervene and ensure the payment of their salary arrears, which they say is crucial for their survival in the face of the current harsh economic conditions in the country.”
VERIFYING THE CLAIM
To verify the claim, TheCable subjected the image to Google reverse image search, and found that the photo was first seen online on September 7, 2022, when some constabulary officers held a protest over unpaid 18-month salary in Osogbo, Osun state.
In addition, no reputable news medium reported the purported protest.
TheCable also observed that the claim emanated from the account of a supporter of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) supporter.
Also, reacting in a statement, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the police spokesperson, described the claim as “unfounded and an attempt to malign the police”.
Adejobi noted that the police constantly addresses concerns raised by its members to ensure that all grievances are channeled appropriately.
He explained that the police are being paid directly by the ministry of finance through the Integrated Personnel Payroll System (IPPIS) and not the inspector- general of police or the Nigerian Police Force.
“The Nigeria Police Force has described a misleading publication propagated by a group of journalists, claiming that some police inspectors approached them at their correspondent chapel, in Uyo, to express grievances and protested against the non-payment of their promotion salary increments over a specified duration, as mischievous, unfounded and a calculated attempt to malign the police,” the statement reads.
“Furthermore, it is crystal clear that neither the office of the inspector-general of police nor the Nigeria Police Force is accountable and responsible for the salary disbursements; this responsibility lies with the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), under the federal ministry of finance.
“The inspector-general of police, therefore, encourages all personnel with welfare-related concerns to reach out to the appropriate authorities within their respective commands or formations, thereby avoiding any actions that could bring disrepute to the force.”
VERDICT
The claim that police inspectors in Akwa Ibom were protesting over 18-month unpaid salary is false.
The image accompanying the claim is an old picture of police constabularies who protested in Osun state in 2022.
