EXTRA: You are peacemakers with automatic tickets to heaven, IGP tells officers

Usman Baba, inspector-general of police (IGP), says officers are peacemakers and, as such, they should desist from conduct that may disrupt the peace in communities.

Earlier in the month, there were posts on social media platforms claiming that officers plan to commence a two-week strike from March 26 over “poor working conditions”.

However, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, acting force spokesman, in a statement on March 14, urged the public to dismiss the reports.

Speaking to officers of the zone 2 command comprising Lagos and Ogun states, the IGP, represented by Johnson Kokumo, deputy inspector-general of police in charge of the south-west zone, asked officers to shelve the idea of a strike.

He said police officers are peacemakers whom the Bible has given automatic tickets to heaven.

“I bring good tidings from the inspector-general of police who has advised us to eschew all forms of unethical practices and that there should be total conformity to the rules of our engagement,” he said.

“We should be professional in all our dealings as we have rules and regulations guarding us. Let me remind you that strike is prohibited in the force and its consequences are high.

“You should remember the slogan that the police is your friend. So, if you engage in the abuse of the public whose taxes are used to pay your salaries, you should know that they are watching our backs. If we do good, the public will commend you. If we do bad, the public will also condemn us.

“You should know that the Bible has given us automatic tickets to heaven because it is said that the blessed are the peacemakers as they will see the kingdom of God. We are peacemakers and God recognises us as peacemakers.

“You should not disappoint the people we are assigned to protect. In that case, you should not go on strike and I believe you know the consequences of going on strike.”

He assured the officers that the force is working on implementing the salary increase recently approved by President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Our salary and emoluments and the actualisation is undergoing processes. So, it is not automatic. It has to go through ministerial process,” he said.

“The president has given the order and no one can counter the order. The government has also given us tax relief, so our salaries are not taxed.”