Policemen across the country have raised alarm over what they described as, “arbitrary deductions from their salaries”, and called on the Minister of Police Affairs and the National Assembly to intervene on the situation. The personnel alleged that the Mechanised Salary
Section of the police made deductions of N5,000 each from their salaries without notice so as to enable the authorities to procure shares of Fokas Savings and Loans Limited. Some of the policemen who spoke on condition of anonymity alleged that the scheme was “dubious”, because they were not informed about it prior to the salary deduction.
They added that it was after the first cut that some of them were informed by some superiors who explained that the amount would be deducted monthly until further notice. An Inspector narrated that: “Last week I received a text message from my bank notifying me that my salary had been paid. However, I found out that N5,000 had been deducted. It was a few days later that we were given forms and we were then told that we had to buy shares compulsorily.
“How could the deductions have been made before I even filled the form? The police authorities are leveraging on the fact that policemen cannot openly protest. The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, must look into this”, the Inspector said.
Another policeman also alleged that the scheme was not well planned, saying some of the officers and men approaching retirement “should be left out”.
According to him: “I have been a policeman for 34 years and I am close to retirement. People like me should have been left out from this scheme. I am already a member of the Nigeria Police Cooperative Multipurpose Society. Who is forcing people to buy shares that are unclear?
“N2,000 was deducted from the salaries of senior police officers while N1,000 was deducted from the rank and file as compulsory contribution towards the World Police and Fire Games in which Nigerian policemen will participate. Why can’t the Federal Government pay from its own purse?”, another officer who said he would be retiring in November this year queried.
Responding, Police Spokesman Frank Mba confirmed the cuts but said it is legal and in order.
“We are indeed deducting salaries of every service personnel and it will continue for two months. It is legal and for the best interest of the members of the Force. We have documents backing up the deductions”, Mr. Mba said.
He promised to show our reporter the backup documents any time required.
Meanwhile, a Vigilante Group in Kebbi state has arrested a police constable among five cable thieves in Kardi/Ambursa Development Area of the state.
Narrating the incident, the Deputy Commandant, Operations, of the Vigilante Group, Mohammed Lawal , told journalists in Birnin Kebbi that his men caught the cable thieves “red-handed”.
The DC confirmed that among those in custody was a police constable arrested along with four others and that they seized his identity card and other bank documents found in his possession.
“We arrested five of the vandals including a police constable on the spot; we have his identity card and bank documents in his possession as our evidence. We have handed them over to the police for further investigation’’, the commandant said.
When contacted,the Deputy Police Public Relations Officer in Kebbi state, Inspector Bala Sule said he would not comment on the matter because the commissioner of police was not in town.
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