•IGP Kayode Egbetokun
Some Nigeria Police school staffers, who are on extended service following the federal government’s decision to increase the retirement age for teachers from 60 to 65, are expressing frustration over the authorities’ refusal to pay their salaries for 33 months.
During separate telephone interviews on Sunday, the aggrieved teachers expressed their frustrations to our correspondent, revealing that their families were struggling with financial hardship and debt, reports The PUNCH.
They explained that they had to borrow money to sustain their livelihood after the police stopped paying their salaries due to issues surrounding the extension of their service.
The five-year service extension for teachers in Nigeria was introduced by the Muhammadu Buhari administration, effective January 1, 2021.
The beneficiaries of the service extension, including teachers in police schools, the army, navy, air force, and Federal Government Colleges in Nigeria, have called for the immediate implementation of the new service scheme.
However, while other institutions, such as the Ministries of Education and Defence, promptly implemented the policy, the aggrieved teachers accused the former Nigeria Police Force Education Officer, DCP Rabi Umar (retd.), of refusing to enforce it. They claimed this decision had plunged the families of the police school teachers into financial hardship.
The situation took a new turn in November 2023 when the aggrieved teachers, despite having their salaries restored by the current Force Education Officer, ACP Ibidapo Oludare, did not receive their outstanding arrears.
Despite numerous appeals by the teachers for the payment of their over 33-month outstanding salaries, the aggrieved teachers lamented that the police authorities had failed to act.
Speaking to our correspondent on Saturday, one of the affected teachers, identified simply as Peter, revealed that in addition to the police refusing to pay their arrears, there had been unexplained deductions from their monthly salaries.
He said, “When our salaries were restored in November 2023, we noticed that the arrears were not paid. On top of that, deductions started appearing in the salaries we received. We have no idea what is going on.
“Some reported deductions of about N40,000, others N36,000, and some N20,000. It’s only in our education system that we experience these kinds of deductions. The deductions were made last December, and we have no idea what will happen in January.”
Expressing concern that her five-year service extension granted by the federal government would end in November 2025, Odi feared that her 33-month unpaid salary might be lost once her extension expires later in the year.
“I borrowed money from several people during the period when our salaries weren’t paid. It was only by the grace of God and the support of loved ones that I managed to get through that time. When the salary was eventually restored, I started paying back little by little. I had hoped that once the arrears were settled, I would clear my debts.
“Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case. We are desperately appealing for assistance, as it has been an extremely challenging time. By November 2026, the five-year extension would have come to an end, yet our salaries remain unpaid. This means the extension has had no meaningful impact. We are humbly requesting help, as we are struggling to make ends meet.
Similarly, another teacher, identified only as Mrs Awo, shared that the unpaid salaries had had a severe impact on them, urging those in authority to intervene and offer their support.
She said, “My unpaid salary amounts to 33 months, from February 2021 to November 2023. I didn’t receive a single payment during that entire period. During that time, I had to borrow money and buy items on credit, relying on the support of my husband and children to get by.
“They promised that they would pay it, and that was their commitment. However, up until this very moment, nothing has been paid, even after our monthly payments were restored.”
Regarding the salary deductions, she explained that the issue had been ongoing for some time, saying, “You just collect whatever you see.” She emphasised that no one knows the exact amount of their salaries.
A related report was published on Monday, where some retired staff members of Lagos State University of Education, Ijanikin Campus, appealed to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for intervention in the non-payment of their 31-month pension arrears, stating that the delay was causing them significant hardship.
When our correspondent called ACP Olubiyi yesterday to inquire about the delay in paying the salary backlog, his mobile phone rang unanswered.
