After months of mounting frustration among rank-and-file personnel, the long-awaited payment of promotion and salary arrears for Nigerian police officers promoted between 2023 and 2024 may soon become a reality.
An internal signal from the Force Headquarters, Abuja, has confirmed that a joint committee from the Budget Office of the Federation and the Federal Ministry of Finance will commence a nationwide verification and authentication exercise to pave the way for payment.
The directive, issued through the Nigeria Police Accounts and Budget Department (NIGPOL PAB), instructs all commands, including POLAC, Staffpol, PCI, and FHQ Annex, to make available critical documentation known as Advice-of-Change (AOCs) for review.
“Grateful be informed that members of the Committee on Promotion and Salary Arrears from the Budget Office of the Federation and the Federal Ministry of Finance will be visiting yours to inspect Advice-of-Change (AOCs) of all personnel promoted within the period under review — 2023 and 2024… Ensure strict compliance,” the wireless message reads in part.
The communication, titled “Salary Arrangement 2023–2024 Promotion Arrears,” signals that the federal government is taking concrete steps to clear the backlog of unpaid entitlements affecting thousands of officers nationwide.
For years, police personnel have voiced grievances over delayed promotions and unpaid arrears, with many alleging that bureaucratic bottlenecks and administrative negligence had left them earning salaries of their former ranks despite documented promotions.
This latest development appears to be a direct response to growing internal pressure and sustained media scrutiny over poor welfare and systemic stagnation within the Force.
In a related development, SaharaReporters recently exposed how the Oyo State Police Command cautioned officers against expressing grievances on social media, threatening disciplinary measures against those “tarnishing the image of the Force.”
As verification begins, hopes are high among affected officers that the long-overdue process will finally deliver long-promised financial relief — and perhaps restore a measure of morale within one of Nigeria’s most overburdened security institutions.