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IG, minister get death threat
Tobi Soniyi and Festus Owete, Abuja
The Inspector General of Police, Mr. Tafa Balogun, has received a death threat over alleged poor welfare of junior police officers. Also threatened with assassination are the Minister of Police Affairs, Chief Broderick Bozimo and the chairman of the Police Service Commission, Chief Simon Okeke.
A group which described itself as representatives of the other ranks and Inspectors of the Nigeria Police Force, in the letter signed by one Inspector Kelechi Oche as Chairman and Sergeant Ejiofor Ukem as Secretary, threatened to assassinate the three officials, if by August 1 their demands for better welfare and promotion were not met.
Some junior officers of the Force had in 2002 embarked on a nationwide strike to protest the poor handling of their welfare.
Among the demands are the promotion without delay, of every rank and file who had served for 20 years and above to the rank of Inspector, the reversal with immediate effect of Police salary to that of the federal government grade.
The group also demanded that all rank and file and Inspectors dismissed during the 2002 police strike be recalled without further delay and arrears of salaries paid to them.
Reacting to the threat in a statement on Friday, Okeke warned that the federal government would deal decisively with any policeman who flouts his oath of office.
The statement signed by Anietie Etiebet, the commission�s Chief Information Officer, said President Olusegun Obasanjo�s administration had done more for the police than previous administrations, notably in the area of mass recruitment, mass promotion, accelerated remuneration and provision of materials.
He called on all officers and men of the force to reciprocate government�s gestures by remaining loyal and committed to the service of the nation.
Also speaking with our correspondent on telephone, the Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Chris Olakpe, said the writers should be ignored because, according to him, they were anonymous.
Saturday Punch, June 12, 2004
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