“Oga, anything for the boys”? or “oga, happy weekend, “find something for us na”, “I dey greet you”,  – this is a common parlance many Nigerians are familiar with. It has gotten so common that many see men in Police uniform as ‘tax collectors’.

In a 2017 survey, the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says men of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) are among the most corrupt public officials in the country, mostly due to bribery and subsequently, disrespect for Policemen.

The report came the same day the United Nations Office for Drug and Crimes (UNODC) released its own corruption report that said Nigeria spent N400 billion annually on bribes to public officials.

The 2017 National Corruption Survey said 46.4 per cent of Nigerian citizens have had “bribery contact” with police officers.

We were still trying to curb the menace of “grease my hands so you go” when a Police Unit, Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) began forcefully robbing young Nigerians of their money. The unit has been ordered to remain as a ‘special unit’ for robbery cases, however, tax collection has remained a culture.

It is not the case that ALL policemen have internalised this culture, but, it is a serious national issue and there seems to be no plan/policy in place to stop it. Or how do we understand the uncountable orders by the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Kpotum Idris, to unmount police checkpoints but have been strictly disobeyed?

On Monday, November 26, 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari approved an increment in the salary structure of men of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF). No figures or percentage has been given yet though.

NPF consists of about 372,000 people, but, the Federal Government has promised that this number will increase to 650,000, meaning that about 278,000 will be added to the number.

A Police officer’s salary depends on the rank and grade. And there are several arms of the NPF to include Administrative arm, Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Anti-Fraud Section, The Central Criminal Registry, X-Squad, Special Fraud Unit, General Investigation, Legal Section, Anti-Human Trafficking Unit, Homicide, Forensic Science Laboratory, Force Intelligence Bureau, Interpol Liaison, Counter Terrorism Unit, and DCI Kaduna Annex.

See below the reported worrisome NPF salary structure ranging from Police Recruit to Inspector-General of Police:

A Police recruit

A Police recruit is a person who is undergoing training to become a member of the police force.

Monthly Salary – N9,019.42
Annual Salary – N108,233

A Police Constable Grade Level 03

A Police Constable is a newly employed policeman. It is the lowest rank in Nigeria Police.

Monthly Salary – N43, 293.80

Annual Salary -N519,525.6

A Police Constable Grade Level 10

Monthly Salary – 51,113.59

Annual Salary – 613,363.08

A Police Corporal on Grade 04 (1)

This comes after constable. This rank is abbreviated as Cpl.

Monthly Salary-N44,715.53
Annual Salary-N536,586.36

A Police Corporal on Grade Level 04 (10)

Monthly Salary-N51,113.59
Annual Salary -N613,365.08

A Police Sergeant on Grade 05 (step 1)

Sergeant is the middle rank of a non-commissioned officer. A Police Sergeant is below the rank of a sergeant major.

Monthly Salary- N48,540.88
Annual Salary- N582,490.56

A Police Sergent on Grade 05 (step 10)

Monthly Salary-N55,973.84
Annual Salary- N671,686.08

A Sergeant Major on Grade 06 (step 1)

Sergeant Major is the highest rank of a non-commissioned officer. A Sergeant Major assists the administrative officer of a particular regiment.

Monthly Salary- N55,144.81
Annual Salary – N661,737.72

A Sergent Major on Grade 06 (step 10)

Monthly Salary-N62,204.88
Annual Salary -N746,458.56

A Cadet Inspector on Grade Level 07 (step1)

A Cadet Inspector is the lowest rank held by a police officer after undergoing a training of service as a commissioned officer. It is commonly known as Inspector of Police (IP).

Monthly Salary – N73,231.51
Annual Salary – N878,778.12

A Cadet Inspector on Grade 07 (step 10)

Monthly Salary -N87,135.70
Annual Salary -N1,045,628.4

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) on Grade 08 (step 1)

It is the second lowest senior officer rank. It is above inspector and below superintendent.

Monthly Salary-N127,604.68
Annual Salary – N1,531,256.16

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) on Grade 08 (step 10)

Monthly Salary- N144,152.07

Annual Salary- N1,729,824.84

An Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP 1) on Grade 09 (step 1)

Monthly Salary- N136, 616.06
Annual Salary- N1,639,392.72

An Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP 2) on Grade 09 (step 10)

Monthly Salary -N156,318.39
Annual Salary – N1,875,820.68

A Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) on Grade 10 (step 1)

A Deputy Superintendent is a senior officer rank, it is higher than Assistant Superintendent.

Monthly Salary -N148,733.29
Annual Salary -N1,784,799.48

A Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) on Grade 10 (step 10)

Monthly Salary -N170,399.69

Annual Salary -N2,044,796.28

A Superintendent of Police (SP) on Grade 11 (step 1)

The rank of a Nigeria Superintendent is between Chief Superintendent and Deputy Superintendent of Police.

Monthly Salary -N161,478.29
Annual Salary -N1,937,739.48

A Superintendent of Police (SP) on Grade 11 (step 10)

Monthly Salary- N187,616.69
Annual Salary-N2,251400.28

A Chief of Superintendent of Police, CSP, on Grade 12 (step 1)

This is a senior rank in police force, it is higher than the Superintendent.

Monthly Salary -N172,089.06
Annual Salary -N2,065,068.72

A Chief of Superintendent of Police, CSP, on Grade 12 (step 8)

Monthly Salary-N199,723.96
Annual Salary -N2,396,687.52

Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP, Grade 13 (step 1)

Assistant Commissioner of Police is the sixth highest rank in the Nigeria police senior officers rank. It is above Chief Superintendent and below Deputy Commissioner.

Monthly Salary-N183,185.73
Annual Salary -N2,198,228.76

Assistant Commissioner Of Police, ACP, Grade 13 (step 10)

Monthly Salary -N212,938.16
Annual Salary-N2,555,257.92

Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP, on Grade 14 (step 1)

This rank is between the Assistant Commissioner and the Commissioner. The Deputy Commissioner takes over the command in the absence of the state commissioner. He supervises the Assistant Commissioner of police.

Monthly Salary-N242,715.65
Annual Salary-N2,912,587.8

Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP, on Grade 14 (step 7)

Monthly Salary -N278,852.79
Annual Salary -N3,346,233.48

Commissioner of Police, CP, on Grade 15 (step 1)

The commissioner of police is in charge of contingency in a state. He is the number one policeman in the state. He is answers to the Inspector General.

Monthly Salary -N266,777.79
Annual Salary -N3,201,333.48

Commissioner of Police, CP, on Grade 15 (step 6)

Monthly Salary -N302,970.47
Annual Salary-N3,635,645.64

Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG, on Grade 16 (step 1)

The Assistant Inspector General is the Second in Command of the Police Force.

Monthly Salary -N499,751.87
Annual Salary -N5,997,022.44

An Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG, on Grade 16 (step 5)

Monthly Salary -N546,572.73

Annual Salary- N6,558,872.76

The Inspector General of Police, IGP

The rank of the Inspector General is the highest rank in Nigeria Police Force. The Inspector General is the most senior Officer and as well the head of the police force in Nigeria.

Monthly Salary -N711,498
Annual Salary -N8,537,976

These ridiculous amounts is a slap on the face on Nigeria and shows a lack of respect for the men who lay down their lives daily to protect other citizens and may be a pointer to the corrupt nature of the men in black.