More Reactions have continued to trail the new salary increase approved for the Nigerian Armed Forces by president Bola Tinubu.
Various pressure groups have commended the action, describing it as a timely recognition of the sacrifices made by military personnel in safeguarding Nigeria’s territorial integrity.
However, they want the gesture replicated in other security agencies.
One of the groups, the Coalition of Ijaw Youths (CIY) in the Niger Delta has commended Tinubu for approving what they described as a significant salary increase for members of the Nigerian armed forces.
The Coalition, however, urged the president to extend the same gesture to the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and other law enforcement personnel who also risk their lives daily to protect Nigerians.
In a statement issued on Wednesday in Port Harcourt, the national president of the Coalition, Comrade Bedford Berefa Benjamin, noted that while the military remained at the forefront of the fight against insurgency, other security agencies also play strategic roles.
He stressed that other security agencies play important roles in intelligence gathering, internal security, crime prevention, critical infrastructure protection, and public safety.
According to him, improving the welfare of all security personnel through enhanced remuneration would boost morale and strengthen inter-agency collaboration.
He pointed out that salary increase would also increase operational efficiency in the country’s ongoing battle against terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, oil theft, pipeline vandalism, and other forms of criminality.
“The president’s approval of a salary increase for military personnel is commendable and reflects his administration’s commitment to troop welfare.
“However, justice, equity, and fairness demand that officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and other security agencies also benefit from improved welfare packages.
“These officers make enormous sacrifices every day in the defence of lives, property, and critical national assets.
“They deserve equal recognition, motivation, and support to continue discharging their constitutional responsibilities effectively,” the statement said.
The youth group expressed confidence that extending the salary review across the nation’s security architecture would further strengthen national security, improve the morale of security personnel, and reaffirm the federal government’s commitment to the welfare of all officers dedicated to protecting the nation.
The coalition reaffirmed its support for policies aimed at strengthening the capacity and welfare of Nigeria’s security agencies and urged the federal government to sustain reforms that would enhance the effectiveness, professionalism, and operational readiness of the country’s security institutions.
