KOREDE FOGO
The personnel of Nigeria Police Force (NPF) have lamented that poor logistics was responsible for reasons they asked for money from the public before the investigate any crime reported in various stations across the country.
The personnel who decried logistics deployed by the police authorities to various police offices, say it is frustrating investigators at police stations nationwide.
Checks revealed that the Nigeria Police proposed to spend N9.8bn on security equipment, N1.6bn on vehicle fuel and N309.8m to fuel generator in 2022.
The force also planned to spend N874.5m on vehicles maintenance, while office and residential maintenance would gulp N968.4m.
According to the 2022 NPF budget proposal, N1.5bn would be expended on uniform and other clothing, N690.9m on maintenance of aircraft, N360.2m on maintenance of sea boats and N100m on ‘loss on foreign exchange.’
The police total allocation is N547.7bn.
However, despite huge allocation to the police force, they said poor logistics, remuneration and lack of confessional statements booklets affected most of the investigations yet to be completed by police investigative unit.
It was gathered that complainants pay the sum of N5000 to Investigative Police Officers (IPO) for any cases reported before investigation could commence.
Speaking with our correspondent at different police divisions, officers lamented the poor management by the leadership of the Nigerian Police force (NPF).
Some of them, under Lagos and Ogun State Police Command, revealed that the only way corruption can stop in Police force is when the top leadership are not corrupt.
A police officer who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that police authority do not make any provisions for its personnel, adding, “We buy everything by ourselves from our salary, even uniforms and stationery to obtain statements was at discretion of the officers.
“Though, we are not meant to complain and I am not complaining either, but it’s good we tell the public that nothing is free as far as police station is concerned.”
“It’s the public that carries most of our burden just because we are public servants.
“The divisional police officers (DPO) source for funds by themselves to be able to run the affairs of their divisions without police allocating funds to them.”
Also in Ogun State under Zone 2 command, some officers lamented that police are suffering and no one can fight for them except God.
He stated that, when police received a distressed call, there will be no vehicles to move because most vehicles are under repairs.