Teachers in Nigeria Police schools, who were granted a five-year service extension following the Federal Government’s decision to increase the retirement age from 60 to 65, have decried the non-payment of their salaries for 33 months.
The policy, introduced on January 1, 2021, under the Buhari administration, was designed to benefit educators across various institutions. However, teachers in police schools claim they have been unfairly excluded.
Speaking on the issue, one of the affected teachers, Mr. Peter, revealed that while their salaries were reinstated in November 2023 under the leadership of the current Force Education Officer, ACP Ibidapo Oludare, the backlog of arrears has yet to be addressed.
“When our salaries resumed, the arrears were not included. To make things worse, there were deductions from the payments we received. Some teachers faced deductions as high as N40,000, while others saw cuts of N36,000 or N20,000. We still don’t have an explanation for these deductions,” he said.
The teachers attributed the situation to the failure of the former Force Education Officer, DCP Rabi Umar (retired), to implement the policy effectively.
They expressed frustration over the financial difficulties caused by the unpaid salaries, noting that the delay had significantly impacted their families.
Mrs. Odi, another teacher, shared her struggle, stating that she had to rely on loans during the 33-month salary freeze.
“I borrowed money hoping that the arrears would eventually be paid and I could clear my debts. But that has not happened. My service extension ends in November 2026, and it feels like there’s no tangible benefit from the extension. We are appealing for urgent intervention.”
Similarly, Mrs. Awo highlighted the toll the salary delay has taken on her family. “From February 2021 to November 2023, I didn’t receive any salary.
During that time, I depended entirely on my husband and children to make ends meet. Now, even with monthly payments restored, deductions remain unexplained. We simply collect what is given to us,” she lamented.
