The Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of South-West zone, Johnson Kokumo, has urged police officers in Ondo State to jettison the idea of embarking on a strike action.
According to the DIG, strike action by the policemen, which is strange all over the world,was tantamount to mutiny.
Kokumo stated this in Akure, the Ondo State capital, yesterday, while meeting with policemen in the state during an interactive session.
The DIG, who assured that policemen in the country would soon smile as regards the payment of the increased salary, maintained that faceless individuals were behind the rumoured strike.
While urging the policemen to desist from actions inimical to their profession, Kokumo stated that President Muhammadu Buhari and the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba were doing a lot ensure the best for policemen in the country.
“The president has announced a salary increase for police personnel and it is being processed, with computation already being made.
“There is a process it must take and there are a number of departments involved in the process. It will be done within the shortest possible time and you shall smile soon.
“You do not engage in any form of strike action. Where have you had that police officers have embarked on strike. Such a move is mutinous and I pray that you will not be found committing mutiny.
“You don’t allow disgruntled elements to lure you into anything that is criminal and inimical to your profession. Many of these people are faceless; they don’t want you to enjoy the goodies.
“The IGP is doing a lot. He is concerned not only about the barracks accommodation but also office accommodation. Both the office, barracks accommodation will be in phases because of paucity of funds.
“When you start receiving your new salary, don’t marry new wives, desist from playing gambling and avoid spending excessively on alcohol. Some people are out there to collect this money from you, use it judiciously.”
In response to rumour that some police officers had been arrested in connection with the planned strike, he said that investigations were underway to find out those behind the plot.
Kokumo also said that efforts had begun to exit police from the Contributory Pension Scheme.
Earlier, the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 17, Ene Okon, which includes Ekiti and Ondo states, confirmed that police officers in the zone had no plans to participate in the rumoured strike action.
The Ondo Police Commissioner, Oyediran Oyeyemi, also assured the IGP that police officers under his supervision would not do anything to harm the profession’s image.
However, the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, has ordered the immediate distribution of additional batches of uniforms, kits, accoutrements and body armours to police Inspectors and other ranks.
He further directed the allocation of 253 newly procured operational and emergency vehicles to police formations across zonal and state commands nationwide.
A statement, yesterday by the Acting Force spokesmen, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the police boss directed that the items must get to every member of the inspectorate cadre and other ranks of the force in furtherance of the police management’s zeal to boost the welfare of personnel and improve their condition of service.
It stated, “The vehicles, which are to be allocated to commands and formations, include 110 Land Cruiser Buffalo trucks, 33 IVM Carrier pick-up trucks, 37 Mikano pick-up trucks, 20 Nord Max trucks, 18 Mikano lorries, five Armoured Personnel Carriers, three Toyota Hiace ambulances, one Toyota Armoured Coaster bus and others.
“The Inspector General of Police assured of his administration’s commitment to sustaining the regular issuance of uniforms to police personnel, as well as his readiness to continually provide the needful and upgrade the operational capability of the force at all levels to completely stamp out crimes and criminality in the country.”