IG berates predecessors over policemen’s welfare

 by Adelani Adepegba

Inspector-General of Police, Muhammed Abubakar

Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, has criticised his predecessors for not caring about the welfare of policemen on peace-keeping missions.

Abubakar said this while inaugurating the renovated Peacekeeping Hall at the Force Headquarters in Abuja on Friday.

He said members of the Nigeria Police Force were the least paid in the world.

According to him, the fact that policemen on peacekeeping missions performed well, but were not praised at home means that the difference is because of lack of equipment.

He said, “What we met here was not palatable. The former IGs sent officers for peacekeeping without taking care of their welfare.

“But now, it is a different thing. Even when the mission was not ready to pay, I pay pending when the mission will pay; their welfare is a concern to us.”

The IG bemoaned the poor remuneration of policemen, saying they were the least paid security personnel in the world.

“This is the only country in the world that policemen are least paid; this is the only country in the world that police welfare is least considered.

“Our officers and men have made Nigeria proud at all times and at all places they served and are serving. If we were able to do it outside, why are we failing here? We are not able to do it here because of the lack of equipment.”

According to the IG, the renovation of the peacekeeping centre cost the force N1.6m.

In a related development, the police compensated the families of the victims of the police helicopter crash that happened in Plateau State early this year.

A total of N38,633,500 was disbursed to the eight bereaved families.

Among those that were compensated was the wife of the late Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Haruna John.

Mrs. Olayinka Haruna, who was absent at the Force Headquarters, was to receive N9.6m.

Families of three other officers received cheques, while four families that their properties were destroyed by the crash were not left out.

Abubakar, who presented the cheques, said, “It is not what we give that matters, but that we remember their services to the nation.”

The Punch