Probe past IGPs for corruption, policemen urge Buhari

Some policemen have urged President Muhammadu Buhari, to replicate the anti-corruption war going on in the military, in the Nigeria Police Force.

According to the men, past Inspectors-General- of Police should be probed for corruption. They claimed to be tired of incessant and unexplained deductions from their salaries. They insisted that the deductions are arbitrary and has no known legal backing. They alleged that most of the deductions were inexplicable. The past IGPs should also be probed over allocations given to the force by the federal government, they said.

They want the president to look into the issue and find out from the past IGPs, what they did with all the deductions.  These deductions, according to them, have spanned several years and witnessed different IGPs.

One of them said: “If Buhari probes past IGPs, it would be the beginning of sanitising the Nigeria Police Force. Government should know how much it allocates to the police, how much was spent and how it was spent. The truth is that there are internal auditors from Police Affairs Department. These auditors are supposed to audit accounts of each department in police, but in spite of their discoveries, they connive and cover corruption.”

They said the most painful and unforgiveable was deductions for police sports and games.

Another stated: “We like what is happening in the military. President should carry out the same corruption probe in the police. Our past IGPs were corrupt. Every year, they deduct money from our salaries for sports. What is our business with games and sports? Different ranks pay different payments for police sports.”

While some insisted on probe, others, mostly senior policemen, said there was nothing wrong with deductions, describing the amount often deducted as negligible.

A Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), said: “The deductions in questions, are small amount of money. It’s so small, that most people wouldn’t notice. There was a time police salaries used to be paid on the table, nobody ever noticed such deductions. But since salaries are paid through banks now, policemen see their pay cheques and complain. Like I said, deductions are allowed, the only problem is accountability.”

A Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said: “The FG even include furniture allowances in police allocation, but you can’t believe it that most of what we use in police formations are exhibits; televisions or furniture recovered from suspects. If you find anything new in a police station, it means members of the public donated it.”

A police sergeant said: “The police hierarchy usually deducts money from salaries for sports and recreation. During the administration of a particular IGP, N11, 000 was deducted from every policeman’s salary. They said the N11, 000 was to buy shares for us. Till date, we don’t know what became of that money. There’s also allocation for fuel, for patrol vehicles, but such money are never given to policemen. Yet, these policemen that go on patrol duties are expected to fuel the patrol vans using their money, and yet you tell them not to collect bribe. They also use their money to maintain the patrol vans. Whenever patrol vans are faulty and you take them to police maintenance unit, they would charge exorbitant fee for fixing it. This is why most policemen prefer to take their vans to civilian mechanics.  There’s allocation from federal government for maintenance of police vehicles. These deductions from salaries are not guided by any law. It’s sheer corruption! Every Commissioner of Police, in charge of Budget, knows about this corruption.  Do you know that what we receive as our salary is not what federal government recommended for us? This is why you’ll find a situation, where a policeman in Ekiti State, receives higher salary than his counterpart, of the same rank, in Lagos. The mechanized salary structure for the police should be scrapped! Let our money come straight from the Ministry of Finance.  If we are filling our emolument forms every year, those working at mechanized salary office, usually collect N3000 from each policeman. They said the money is for processing of the forms and for policemen that sign such forms.”

It was also gathered that FG, during allocations, paid for different police courses and trainings, but policemen were still forced to cough up money for courses and feeding.

A senior police officer, when asked about payment for courses and training by policemen, laughed and said: “If you go for any training, you pay for everything, except water! I went for training at the Nigeria Police Staff College, Jos; I paid N87, 000, while others paid more. When the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Joseph Mbu, was transferred to the college before his retirement, he attempted to stop such corruption. He threatened to deal with anyone found collecting money from trainees. The contractors in such police training schools synergise with college authority. They share whatever the trainees contribute. The Police Department of Training is in on this scam.”

Further alleging corruption among past IGPs, the policemen said that policemen used to pay as much as N500, 000 for promotions and transfer to lucrative posts.

One asked: “Where does all the money go to? Who collects all the money?”

A retired Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Mr. Olayinka Olowu, said deductions from serving policemen and women salaries were not common before; adding that recent events have revealed that there is a massive illegal deduction from serving members and retirees by police authority and the government.

According to him, under the Buhari’s administration, policemen who are pensioners, under the old pension scheme, are having N1000 deducted from their money on monthly basis, with no reason for the action.

Olowu said: “They deduct N1000 from us that fall under old scheme every month. We don't know why. No one   has explained or given us reason for deduction.”

A Superintendent of Police, who wants to be addressed simply as Musa, said deductions from police officers had become route for, "our big men in the force to enrich their pockets.”

He added: “All those people at the police investments department should first be put in jail before their trial. These are the criminals our big men use through their fake and bogus projects.  They deduct money from us, under the guise of future or saving for rainy day. But the rainy day never ever comes!”

It will be recalled that when the present IGP, Ibrahim Idris, assumed office, he spoke about deductions from police salaries and payment of money to influence postings and transfers.

He also expressed shock that money was being deducted from salaries of policemen living in barracks.

Idris said: “We are interested in the investment unit because every policeman from the rank of Constable to IGP contributes to it from their salary. Every policeman contributes to these investments. These are people’s properties and we have to make the units transparent and accountable. It’s deducted from salary once the person is recruited. We call it Police Insurance Scheme. The money is N370. 000. Every policeman, from the rank of Constable to IGP, contributes money to it. The money is for policemen. It’s part of their property.”

Idris further said: “I was shocked when I went to give a lecture and some policemen told me that salaries of those residing in barracks are usually deducted. I couldn’t believe it. We’re going to look into it. It’s absolutely wrong. If you’re living in Police Barracks, you’re not supposed to pay a dime. It’s wrong! The government has paid for it. The building itself belongs to the government. It’s only when policemen go and rent houses outside, that government pay rent subsidy. I have promised to look into it. And if I find anyone at fault, the person would be held liable.”

Reacting to payment for police postings and transfers to lucrative areas, Idris said: “I have changed virtually all mobile police commanders. While I was Commissioner of Police, Mobile, I discovered a lot of things. The men told me that to become a mobile police commander, they were asked to pay N500, 000. To curb that, we decided to cut off some of these commanders. They came, not to work or for patriotic reasons, but because they gave money to influence their postings and would want to recoup their money. We have changed them and we are going to restructure the mobile.”