The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, on Monday moved quickly to defuse tension at the Force Headquarters in Abuja after aggrieved former police officers staged a protest over alleged unpaid entitlements.
Sources said the protest had begun gaining momentum when the IGP got wind of the development and immediately requested a face-to-face meeting with the retired officers.
At the meeting, the ex-policemen tabled their grievances, centring on outstanding payments they claimed had been long overdue. In response, Disu assured them of his commitment to addressing the issue, promising to personally escalate their concerns to the President.
The intervention appeared to calm frayed nerves, as the protesters welcomed the IGP’s engagement and expressed confidence in his assurances.
In a significant turn, the retired officers unanimously agreed to suspend their planned march to the Presidential Villa, opting instead to give the police chief time to take up the matter at the highest level of government.
The development effectively averted what could have escalated into a major confrontation in the nation’s capital, with stakeholders now watching closely to see how swiftly the grievances will be resolved.
