Mobile Police Officers Lament Over Alleged Diversion of 7-Month Allowances
- Mobile Police officers deployed from Kano State to Plateau communities say they have gone seven months without their agreed allowances
- Officers claim the Plateau State government releases the N150,000 monthly payments, but the funds never reach them at their duty posts
- The affected officers have called on the Inspector General of Police to investigate who is diverting their entitlements
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
Plateau State - Mobile Police officers serving on peacekeeping duties in Plateau State have alleged that senior officers are diverting monthly allowances paid by the state government, leaving them without funds for nearly seven months.
The officers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they were deployed from Kano State in December 2025 to villages in Jos South, Barkin Ladi, Bokkos and other local government areas to help contain attacks and killings in the region.
On arrival, they were taken to Government House, Jos, where they were promised a monthly allowance of N150,000 each.
As reported by Daily Trust, the officers said they received their December payment but say nothing has been paid since January 2026, despite their understanding that the state government continues to release the funds every month.
"The state government promised to pay the allowances. We reliably learnt that the allowances are paid every month, but they don't reach us. This is the seventh month, and nothing has been paid to us. We don't know who is diverting the funds."
Officers struggle to survive on duty.
A second officer said the situation has placed enormous pressure on the men deployed to remote areas, where their regular police salaries are not enough to cover feeding at their duty posts and still support their families back home.
With Nigeria's ongoing economic hardship, several of his colleagues have reportedly received quit notices from their landlords after falling behind on rent.
A third officer pointed out that under Mobile Police regulations, personnel transferred from their home state for special duties are entitled to deployment allowances.
He said other batches of officers who arrived in Plateau State after their group have since been paid, making their continued exclusion difficult to explain.
"Withholding the money is a violation of our rights. This is our legal entitlement, and it is being released, but hijacked by a few individuals."
The officers added that conditions on the ground are physically demanding, and that in many postings they must travel considerable distances just to buy food, which has become increasingly expensive.
The affected personnel are calling on the Inspector General of Police and other relevant authorities to look into the matter and ensure the outstanding allowances are paid without further delay.
Court orders payment of 4 years' salary arrears to police
Recall that the then Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun and the Nigeria Police Service Commission were directed to pay police constabularies' salary arrears owed them since 2021.
The National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Abuja Division, issued the order on Wednesday, November 20.
The court ordered that each of the constabularies be paid N54,566 per month from January 2021 to May 2024.
"FG owing us salaries": Dismissed Constabularies allege
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that the two special constabulary officers dismissed by the Oyo state police command have explained that they were not paid for their over three years of service.
The officers were dismissed from the force after being caught in a viral video asking for money from a Dutch tourist who was on a bike in Oyo State.
They said the federal government has never paid them any remuneration or salary, and this has pushed them to beg for money from people to feed themselves and their families.
Source: Legit.ng
