Court Orders Police To Employ Over 22,000 Constabularies, Pay Four Years Of Salary Arrears  

The National Industrial Court of Nigeria has directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Police Service Commission (PSC) to employ over 22,000 police constabularies and pay them salary arrears dating back to January 2021. The constabularies, who were deployed across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for community policing, are to receive N54,566 monthly stipends for the period of January 2021 to May 2024.

Delivering the judgment on Wednesday, Justice Rakiya Haastrup ruled that the constabularies must also be issued letters of appointment and certificates of engagement, affirming their lawful deployment and service.

Constabularies’ Case Against the Police  

The constabularies, represented by their counsel, Sebastine Hon (SAN), had approached the court to compel the police to formalise their employment and pay the outstanding stipends. They argued that despite completing training, being issued uniforms and boots, and serving as community policing officers for four years, the police failed to honour their agreement to provide monthly allowances.

The constabularies tendered documents showing that the police initially promised to pay them stipends equivalent to the basic allowance of a constable in the Nigeria Police Force. They described the police’s refusal to pay as not only unlawful but detrimental to their welfare, with seven members reportedly losing their lives due to the hazardous nature of their duties.

The police, in their defence, claimed that the constabularies’ services were voluntary. However, the court rejected this argument, affirming that there was a contractual employment relationship between the constabularies and the police.

Key Highlights of the Judgment  

Justice Haastrup held that:
1. The plaintiffs had successfully proven their entitlement to monthly stipends based on the agreement with the police.
2. Each constabulary is entitled to N54,566 monthly from January 2021 until May 2024.
3. The IGP is to fix the exact stipend amount for the constabularies within two months of the judgment.
4. Letters of appointment and certificates of engagement must be issued to the constabularies, formalising their roles.

Calls for Compliance  

Following the judgment, Sebastine Hon urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to direct the police authorities to comply with the court’s decision. He emphasised the need to compensate the constabularies for their service and to ensure their welfare moving forward.

The ruling has been widely regarded as a landmark decision affirming the rights of individuals engaged in public service to fair treatment and remuneration. The court’s decision also highlights the importance of formalising employment arrangements to protect workers from exploitation.