The aggrieved officers threatened to protest at various police headquarters in the region if the authorities fail to pay them.
Nigerian police personnel on counter-insurgency operations in the North-East region have lamented the non-payment of their duty allowances in the last six months.
The aggrieved officers threatened to protest at various police headquarters in the region if the authorities fail to pay them.
SaharaReporters gathered that the policemen are being owed various allowances.
Joint security forces comprising mobile police and the military were posted to the region to fight against Boko Haram, the Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP) fighters and bandits.
Speaking with SaharaReporters, the aggrieved officers added that the Nigeria Police force management has been unable to improve their welfare and appropriately motivate them for enhanced performance.
They alleged that they had been abandoned, adding that they were confused, depressed, destabilized and now less productive.
“It has been six months now but no communication from police authorities concerning the allowances, we are very hungry and my colleagues are threatening to protest,” a policeman told SaharaReporters on Wednesday.
“What we want is for SaharaReporters to help us drum it to the ears of the authorities. It has been over six months now; imagine, and all mobile policemen on special duty In the North-East are yet to be paid their allowances, we can’t cope anymore, help us to talk to the authorities.”
Another aggrieved officer added, “We are giving them time, failure of the IGP to pay us our allowances, we shall embark on protest.”
“We are here facing Boko Haram war for months now but no allowances. We are not even given good food. My colleague once told you we use our money to buy medicine from public medical vendors due to poor medication, that’s the truth, even food. Most of us now rely on bribes from motorists.”
In 2022, some policemen had also threatened to embark on protest over the sacking of their colleagues by the authorities.
SaharaReporters had reported that about 24 police officers from the Delta State Command who covered the July 16, 2022, governorship election in Osun State were dismissed from the service.
They were sacked for accusing the authorities of withholding their allowances during the election.
Others were also demoted to junior ranks for similar reasons.
“Police just dismissed and demoted up to 40 personnel for fighting for their right during Osun election. The government gave the authorities money to share for the personnel on special duty but they refused to share the money to them, so they protested against this action and demanded their benefits,” one of the sources, a senior police officer in Delta State had told SaharaReporters.
But Muyiwa Adejobi, force spokesperson, had said their banks caused the delay and that the allegation was “misleading and unfounded”.
Adejobi said contrary to the claims made by the officers, some of those who were deployed for the election started receiving their entitlements before the election began.
A signal exclusively obtained by SaharaReporters dated December 12, 2022, had revealed that some of the aggrieved officers from Delta State Command had been dismissed.