The Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has directed a comprehensive investigation into the allegation of  deductions from salaries and delay in promotion arrears of personnel of agencies under the purview of the Interior Ministry by the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

A statement on Sunday signed by Ahmed Ja’afaru, Secretary to the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB), called on the personnel to remain calm while the government investigates the allegations raised.

“The attention of the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB) has been drawn to an online publication of complaints from officers of the paramilitary services under its purview, alleging deductions from their salaries by the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), as well as delays in the payment of promotion arrears.

“Consequently, the Honourable Minister/Chairman of the Board, Hon. (Dr.) Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has directed that a comprehensive investigation be carried out forthwith by the Board on the matter while calling on officers of the paramilitary services to remain calm.

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“The Board wishes to assure our dedicated officers of its commitment to achieving a swift and positive resolution to these matters,” the statement read in part.

Daily Trust had reported that some personnel of paramilitary agencies under the Ministry of Interior were mobilising for a nationwide protest over the IPPIS’s alleged deduction from their salaries.

Personnel of the agencies, made up of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) and Federal Fire Service (FFS), also complained about the delay in payment of promotion arrears.

“We are seriously oppressed, victimised and robbed by IPPIS. Our rights financially are not given to us, such as promotion arrears, underpayment of all entitlements as approved by the federal government, and this month, we are grossly underpaid.

“This is deliberately done to us, with total disregard to the present economic realities on the civil servants,” a post on social media by some of the personnel on Friday read.

Responding to the allegations, the spokesman at the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Bawa Mokwa, had told our correspondent that the arrears highlighted by the paramilitary staff were being paid in tranches.

“These payments are being made in batches based on the availability of funds, therefore, the case is not peculiar to them,” he said.