Protesting policemen accuse Okada riders of sleeping with their wives

Some policemen under constabularies, numbering over 480 have protested over an alleged non-payment of their 18-month salary in Osun state.

The affected constabularies who were recruited to complement the police structure by providing intelligence, among others were inaugurated in May 2021 at police headquarters, Osun state after their training in April 2021.

The protesting policemen who were in their uniforms, converged on the Old-Garage area, marching through Oke-Fia, Alekuwodo before storming the Ola-Iya flyover to press home their demands.

They were armed with placards with different inscriptions such as: ‘Pay our salary now’; ‘Okada riders are sleeping with our wives’, ‘Pay us our 18-month salary’, ‘pay us’, ‘Our Stipends And Allowances’ and ‘18 months without kobo’ among others.

One of the leaders of the protesting policemen, Constable Tijani Adewale, added, despite the non-payment of salaries they are committed to duties stressing that amid their predicament three Constabularies died while on duty.

According to him, commercial tricyclists and motorcyclists had snatched their wives due to their inability to provide for them and their children.

“We have gone to the local government, honourable and dignitaries in the state yet no positive result. We lost three persons in Ikire and one in Iree. These people died in the course of discharging their duty.

“We are very dutiful even though we have not been paid a dime. Due to unpaid allowances, tricycle and Okada riders have snatched our wives because of their inability to take care of them.” he said

Osun police commissioner Olawale Olokode abrupted the protesters at the Ola-Iya bridge and ordered them to stop the protest immediately. He assured them that the concerned authorities would intervene in the matter to solve their plights.

“You are embarrassing the force with your protest. You should have channelled your grievances to the appropriate quarters. You are disturbing public peace with this your protests. As far as you are wearing this uniform, we expect you to maintain high discipline as a force man” he said.