Date Published: 12/02/09

Letter to IGP on shortchanging and neglect of rank and file personnel on special assignements outside their posts

November 25, 2009 
The Inspector-General of Police
The Nigerian Police
Force Headquarters
Abuja. 
Dear Sir

NOPRIN CALLS ON THE INSPECTOR-GENERAL OF POLICE TO PUT AN END TO THE SHORTCHANGING, NEGLECT, AND DEHUMANISATION OF OFFICERS AND MEN ON TRANSFER OR SPECIAL DUTIES OUTSIDE THEIR POSTS!

Network on Police Reform in Nigeria (NOPRIN) writes to draw the attention of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to the prevalent culture of criminally shortchanging, neglect and dehumanization of officers and men on transfer or on special duties outside their posts.

This practice consists in sending personnel, especially the rank and file, on transfer or special duties outside their posts and withholding or refusing to pay them the allowances they are entitled to, including transport, accommodation, feeding etc. The officers are left to their own fate, and made to go through severe hardship and frustration. Yet they are expected to perform efficiently. This situation, evidently often predisposes them to engaging in acts of misconduct and abuse.

NOPRIN hereby calls on the IGP to ensure that this deplorable situation does not continue, and that those in the police hierarchy who unconscionably withhold and divert allowances meant for the rank and file personnel are called to order. It is insupportable that corrupt senior officers seat back in the luxury of their offices and pocket the entitlements of the rank and file personnel who are sent to the streets, and daily put their lives on the line, for safety and security of fellow citizens.

Recently, Policemen deployed to fight crime in Anambra State, lamented the poor treatment being meted to them. The officers were deployed to Anambra State from about 10 units in the country, following request by the new CP, Mr. Philemon Leha to the IGP for assistance. The officers complained that since their deployment, they have not been paid any allowance by the police hierarchy.

Besides, most of them sleep in the open at the state police headquarters at Amawbia, while some of them posted to some rural areas sleep either in the bush or on the road.

One of the policemen lamented:

‘Can you believe it that since three months we are here, no allowance has been paid to us and no accommodation provided for us and they know  we have families.’

Tomorrow, some people will complain that these policemen only collect N20 from motorists. My brother, we are dying in this state, this is pure punishment, come and see where we are sleeping in the bush.’

When confronted on the conditions and complaints of the police officers, the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Emeka Chukwuemeka, an ASP responded that the command was doing everything to ensure that it provides accommodation for the officers.

The scenario depicted above, in the case of the Police Officers on special duty in Anambra State, typifies the ordeal which Nigerian Police personnel on special assignments or duties or on transfer routinely suffer. During recent police station visits, NOPRIN visitors encountered some police officers posted from other states, but were not given the allowances they were entitled to. Because they were also not provided with accommodation, they were forced to be sleeping on bare floor in the open or in small dirty spaces within the station.

In many cases, police officers who find themselves in this kind of dehumanizing predicament resort to going out at night on illegal duties (and sometimes, armed robbery) in order to make ends meet. And because they are dehumanized, they lose all sense of humanism. This may partly explain why they indulge in wanton killings at the slightest provocation - especially of those who question their actions or refuse to ‘cooperate with them’.

NOPRIN hereby calls on the IGP to put an end to the corruption and mindlessness that breeds this situation. Corruption deprives the rank and file personnel of their human essence, and pushes them into crime and misconducts, but also deprives the police institution of the funds needed to effectively perform its operations. Therefore, the IGP should bring an end to this corruption.

Yours sincerely 

Okechukwu Nwanguma

Program Coordinator

08064974531