Sequel to alleged non-payment of allowances by authorities, some policemen deployed to Kogi from Ekiti State Police Command for the November 16 gubernatorial election have begged the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to take prompt action.
About 225 police officers of the Command alleged that their names were expunged from the list of those to be paid after the tedious and risky election.
The aggrieved police officers described the development as shocking, adding that the allowances might have been misappropriated by some high ranking police officers.
It was gathered that a sum of N90,000 each was paid to senior officers above Sergeant rank, while those at lower ranks, who formed the majority of aggrieved officers, got N40,000.
According to a Sergeant who spoke on behalf of others, ” Two batches were deployed for the election from Ekiti. The Ekiti Command was expected to mobilise 500 policemen, but there was a shortfall.
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“The police Commissioner, Mr Asuquo Amba, deployed 300 policemen about 10 days to the election. When there was complaints, another 150 were drafted to Kogi on the order of the the CP five days to the election.
“Our investigation indicated that half of those who were deployed from Ekiti, numbering over 200, were excluded from payroll.
“We were curious to ask that why must we be excluded from benefiting from the payments after discharging the national assignment?
“You could all attest to the fact that the Kogi Governorship election was the most volatile and tension-soaked in recent time. We risked our lives for the success of the poll only for us to be paid this way.
“We appeal to the Inspector General of police, Mr. Adamu, to investigate this matter and mete out proper punishment to whoever is culpable. Those behind this are the ones responsible for the bad image in the Force,” he said.
Reacting, the Command’s spokesman, Mr. Sunday Abutu, denied the allegation.
He stated that to the best of his knowledge, all due allowances for the election were paid as and when due.
“Let me also say that there was no protest anywhere. Nobody had protested and whoever has any issue should follow the normal channels,” Abutu added.