Gloomy Christmas awaits police officers and civil servants in the federal government’s ministries, departments, and agencies as President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime advises them to spend their November salaries wisely because their December pay may not come in until January 2022.

Circulars seen by Peoples Gazette show their Christmas plans have been thrown into disarray with a delay in their November pay.

“Due to the recurrent trends of shortfall in budgetary allocations and its attendant effect on the payment of salaries in recent times across various MDAS, the management wish to regrettably inform all staff that there might be an envisaged delay in payment of December 2021 salary in the Centre,” said a memo signed by the FMC Keffi’s head of finance and accounts, Samson Adegoke, dated November 25.

Mr Adegoke, while assuring the civil servants and heads of departments of the FMC’s efforts to forestall “unnecessary delays,” warned them to be prudent about their spending as the yuletide season sets in.

“Accordingly, all staff are advised to be cautious in spending their November 2021 salary and to make provisions for Christmas celebrations therefrom,” the memo advised.

Similarly, the Inspector General of Police, Alkali Usman, in the signal message, informed all departments and commissioners of police across Nigeria of the delay in their November salaries.

“Information received from the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System unit of the office of the accountant general of the federation indicates delay in the processing of funds salaries which implies that there will be a delay in payment of November salaries,” Mr Usman said in the signal message sent around 1:50 p.m. on December 3.

Nonetheless, the police boss commended the sacrifices and dedication of the force, assuring them that the delay would be minimised.

He further directed that all assistant inspectors general of police and police commissioners lecture officers on the delay in salaries.

While Mr Buhari’s regime has relied on foreign loans to finance major projects and pay workers’ salaries, the delay may increase police extortion and corruption level among civil servants during the yuletide season.

Despite nationwide protests against police brutality and corruption, extortion and harassment of Nigerians have continued.