Policemen fighting Boko Haram Cry out over non Payment of Salary

– Policemen fighting Boko Haram lament non-payment
– Police IGP said they are holding discussions with the governors of the north-eastern states

Policemen fighting Boko Haram insurgency in the north-east region, especially in Borno state said the state governments have not paid their allowances.

Some police officers serving in Borno state lamented that they have not been paid for about three months, The Punch reports.

Others who had just concluded their tour of duty alleged that they were under-paid.

One of the policemen who felt shortchanged complained: “Before now, policemen on counter-insurgency operations in Borno State were paid N30,000, but this was later reduced to N15,000 due to the economic situation. Our set was paid N7,000 instead of N15,000 and we don’t know if this was done by the state government or by the police command.”

Another police officer who just got back from the battle front after spending three months fighting the insurgents said he and his colleagues were not paid, but were asked to hold on by the police authorities.
“We were not paid a dime, we were simply informed that the allowances have not been paid by the state government. I don’t know why the police were treated this way, because I am sure they would not ask members of the armed forces to be patient,” the police officer said.

However, Solomon Arase, the inspector-general of police admitted that the policemen had complained to his office about the non-payment of their allowances for about four months.

He noted that the police high command was holding discussions with the governors of the north-eastern states over the non-payment of allowances to police officers on counter-insurgency operations.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian military recently recorded success in the fight against Boko Haram in Borno state. The troops killed 50 insurgents while rescuing 500 people in an operation around Mafa, Dikwa and Kala areas.