The police officers deployed to the northeast under the Joined Task Force (JTF) have lamented over the non-payment of their allowances in the last six months.
The officers were selected from various states and brought to the region for security operations in collaboration with other security forces to fight Boko Haram insurgents and other criminalities in the region.
The affected officers bemoaned that their unpaid allowances have placed them in a challenging predicament.
One of the police officers told the Hausa version of BBC that they were sent to the northeast eight months ago to work with the Nigerian Army, they have only been paid the first two months’ allowance, even though the army officers are getting their allowance on time.
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“We are facing problems due to the lack of allowances because it is only our salary that we share with our families and we take care of other services. We take care of our health problems, food and other things,” he said.
He called on the stakeholders in the command to listen to their pleas and pay their entitlements considering that most of them were taken from far away places and are currently in a difficult situation.
ACP Muyiwa Adejobi, the spokesperson for the Nigerian Police Force, did not pick up call when WikkiTimes called for his comment. A message sent to him was not responded to as of press time.
Experts opine that while the officers are making efforts to combat the menace of Boko Haram insurgence and banditry in the northeast region, the unpaid entitlements could obstruct them from carrying out their duties without any hindrance.
Nigeria has been battling with the insurgents in the region for barely two decades now, the longest combat in the country’s history that resulted in the death of over 30 thousand people and thousands of others incapacitated.
Babaji Usman Babaji is an investigative journalist with over four years of experience, renowned for his impactful reporting on corruption, human rights violations, and holding those in power accountable in Nigeria.
His career is distinguished by participation in numerous media training programs and conferences, which have honed his investigative and reporting skills. Babaji’s data-driven stories have made a significant impact, particularly in Northern Nigeria, shedding light on critical issues and driving meaningful change.
As a reporter under WikkiTimes’ Collaborative Media (CMEDIA) Project, Babaji has led several groundbreaking investigations. He was a 2022 fellow of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) and a 2024 Media Foundation for West Africa DPI/DPG fellow. His contributions to accountability journalism earned him a Certificate of Recognition from Xchange Hama Media for impactful community work.
