#EndSARS, Buhari commences implementation of demands, increases police salary by 20%

President Muhammadu Buhari has taken one step further in implementing the demands of the #EndSARS Movement during the 2020 mass protest across the country. The President had in 2020 disbanded the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) unit of the Nigeria Police as demanded by Nigerian youths during the #EndSARS protest. president Buhari has also proceeded to look into improving the welfare of police personnel as demanded by the #EndSARS Movement, reviewing and increasing the salary of the police by 20 per cent.

Accordingly, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday approved 20% upward review of the salaries of police officers in the country.

The Minister of Police Affairs, Maigari Dingyadi, after the Federal Executive Council meeting on Wednesday, chaired by President Buhari, at the State House, Abuja, said that the salary review will take effect from January 2022.

The Police Affairs Minister affirmed that the salary review is in response to the demands of the #EndSARS protesters in 2020, including primarily improved welfare for police officers.

Dingyadi noted that the salary increase will be boosted through duty tour allowance to 6 per cent of their new take-home pay and approval of N1.12 billion for payment of outstanding uninsured benefits for the period of 2013 to 2020.

FEC further approved the disbursement of N13.1 billion for payment of outstanding death benefits of 5,472 personnel for the uninsured period of 2013 to August 2021.

In addition, the council approved a tax waiver in the sum of N18.6 billion for junior police officers to increase the take home pay effective from October 2021.

However, the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, noted that provisions for the new salary structure was not made in the 2022 budget. The implementation may require a supplementary budget by the President to the National Assembly.