The Federal Government has ordered a comprehensive investigation into the allegation of deductions from salaries and delay in promotion arrears of paramilitary agencies under the supervision of the Interior Ministry by the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who is the Chairman of the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB), gave the directive on Sunday.
This was conveyed in a statement in Abuja and signed by Ahmed Ja’afaru, Secretary to the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board.
He urged the personnel to remain calm while the government investigates the allegations raised.
The statement read: “The attention of the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB) has been drawn to an online publication of complaints from officers of the paramilitary services under its purview, alleging deductions from their salaries by the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), as well as delays in the payment of promotion arrears.
“Consequently, the Honourable Minister/Chairman of the Board, Hon. (Dr.) Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has directed that a comprehensive investigation be carried out forthwith by the Board on the matter while calling on officers of the paramilitary services to remain calm.
“The Board wishes to assure our dedicated officers of its commitment to achieving a swift and positive resolution to these matters,” it stated.
Recall that some personnel of paramilitary agencies under the Ministry of Interior according to a report were mobilising for a nationwide protest over the IPPIS’s alleged deduction from their salaries.
The affected agencies include, the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) and Federal Fire Service (FFS), also complained about the delay in payment of promotion arrears.
“We are seriously oppressed, victimised and robbed by IPPIS. Our rights financially are not given to us, such as promotion arrears, and underpayment of all entitlements as approved by the federal government, and this month, we are grossly underpaid.
“This is deliberately done to us, with total disregard to the present economic realities on the civil servants,” a post on social media by some of the personnel on Friday read.