Osun guber: Police officers allege non-payment of election duty allowance

Some police officers in the Osun state command say they are yet to be paid their duty allowance for the coverage of the governorship election that held on July 16.

The officers. who spoke on condition of anonymity to NAN, said about 140 officers from the state investigation bureau (SIB), 30 from explosive ordinance disposal (EOD), and about 160 mobile police officers of MOPOL 39 had not been paid.

NAN quoted one of the officers as saying all other police officers deployed for the election coverage had received their allowances, including those deployed from outside the state.

He explained that efforts were made to find out the reason for the non-payment but they are yet to get “any concrete feedback” from the force headquarters.

He added that it would be against the code of service to protest and demand the allowance.

He, however, appealed to Usman Alkali Baba, the inspector-general of police, to look into their case.

Another officer said those who have not been paid are officers attached to the Osun police command but administratively handled by the force headquarters in Abuja.

He said all the officers on general operation in the state that covered the election had been given their allowances, adding that the reason for the non-payment is unknown.

When contacted, Yemisi Opalola, Osun police spokesperson, said she was not aware of the issue.

She, however, said any officer that had the issue of non-payment of allowance could take it up with the force headquarters in Abuja.

In July, some officers in the state accused the authorities of withholding their allowances.

But Muyiwa Adejobi, force PRO, said their banks caused the delay and that the allegation was “misleading and unfounded”.

Adejobi said contrary to the claims of the officers, some of those who were deployed for the Osun election started receiving their entitlements before the election began.