Minister of Police Affairs, Muhammad Dingyadi, says selected cops for the Special Weapons and Tactics team will be placed on the same salary structure as their colleagues in other police formations and units.

He stated this Wednesday on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme.

He said the selected officers are professionals who are being taken through more rigorous training for the special task of combating armed robbery and other related crimes in the society.

The minister also noted that the police authorities were giving greater attention to the re-orientation of the cops.

When asked whether the new SWAT operatives would be placed on a special salary scale, Dingyadi said, “No, it is not like that; they are going to earn the usual salary that is being earned by every police officer but you are aware that Mr President has already directed that a new salary structure be put out for police officers in this country to be commensurate with the duty they are performing.

“So, it is going to be the same salary structure. The only difference is that every police officer is assigned to a different duty. The duty is different from the others but the salary is the same.”

Better welfare package for police officers was one of the five-point demands of #EndSARS protesters whose demonstrations against police brutality and extrajudicial killings in October led to the disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police Force.

The Inspector general of Police, Mohammed Adamu had announced the SWAT team as replacement for the disbanded police unit.

At least 1,850 SWAT personnel commenced training on October 19, 2020 at the Police Mobile Force Training Schools in Osun and Nasarawa states.

The IGP had noted that no ex-SARS operatives were shortlisted in the SWAT team. (The PUNCH)