Police protest: IGP sets up special committee to investigate, streamline future payments

Following the protest staged by personnel of the Nigeria Police Force who participated in the last governorship election in Ondo state over unpaid allowances, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, has set up a Special Investigative Panel (SIP) to unearth the circumstances that led to the unpleasant incidence and forestall a future occurrence.

Police personnel deployed from different parts of the country to beef up security in all parts of the state to ensure the smooth conduct of the election became agitated when their duty allowances did not hit their accounts, even after the process was completed and a winner announced.

A statement issued yesterday in Abuja by the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Don Awunah, said the committee was necessitated by complaints of irregularities from certain quarters and discoveries of possible anomalies and plausible foul play became obvious.

Awunah, a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), had issued a statement during the week condemning the action of the Police officers.

He said: “The allowances for the officers and men of the Force that participated in the security operations for the election are being
paid. The payments were done through the banks into the accounts numbers submitted by the personnel, in compliance with the policy of Federal Government on Treasury Single Account (TSA) to ensure transparency and accountability.

“The payments commenced few days to the election and most of the personnel confirmed receipt of payment alerts into their accounts before the election.”