Some employees and teachers at Nigerian police schools have complained that the government has not paid them for 33 months.
The teachers in question were on extended leave when the Nigerian government raised the retirement age for educators from 60 to 65.
The aggrieved teachers voiced their frustrations in an interview with PUNCH, disclosing that financial hardship and mounting debts had taken a toll on their families.
According to them, they were forced to rely on loans for survival after the police halted their salaries due to complications linked to an expansion in their service structure.
The service extension, introduced by the Muhammadu Buhari administration and effective from January 1, 2021, granted Nigerian teachers five additional years of service. This policy applied to educators in police schools, the military, and government universities, among others.
While other bodies such as the Ministries of Education and Defence promptly implemented the new policy, the affected teachers accused former Nigeria Police Force Education Officer, DCP Rabi Umar (retd.), of failing to enforce it, leading to their financial struggles.
A shift occurred in November 2023 when the current Force Education Officer, ACP Ibidapo Oludare, reinstated their salaries. However, the teachers’ over 33 months of outstanding arrears remained unpaid.
Despite persistent appeals for the payment of these arrears, the teachers claimed police authorities had taken no meaningful action. Peter, one of the affected teachers, further alleged unexplained deductions from their reinstated monthly salaries, exacerbating their financial difficulties.
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.”
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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.
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