Borno's Governor Shettima steps in to pay out cash sums and hand food items to mobile policemen

BORNO State's Governor Kashim Shettima has released the sum of N27.7m ($76,838 ) to pay mobile policemen posted to the state who recently protested the fact that the federal government had left them destitute by not paying them seven month duty allowances.

Last week, Maiduguri, the Borno State capital was thrown into chaos after hundreds of mobile policemen staged a demonstration to protest being owed seven months allowance arrears and corruption within the hierarchy of the force. They chanted slogans calling the inspector-general of police Ibrahim Idris, names, saying that apart from not paying them, he has been selling promotion to those who have connections.

During the protest, the policemen called on President Muhammadu Buhari to investigate Mr Idris for his role in the corruption and backdoor promotion within the command. Blocking the Maiduguri-Kano highway during their protest, the policemen lamented the fact that since their arrival in Borno State, they had been subjected to inhumane treatment by Mr Idris.

Embarrassed by the development, Governor Shettima has now released the money, which is to be shared among the 2,640 mobile policemen posted to the state. He has also released 200 bags of 50kg rice and assorted jerrycans of vegetable oil to support the federal government’s feeding programme of all mobile police officers and men deployed on a special duty to fight the Boko Haram menace in the state.

Yesterday, the distribution of the money and handing over of the food items took place at the Borno State Police Command with the commissioner for local government and emirate affairs, Usman Zanna, present. Although the protesting policemen are yet to receive their full allowances, this payment will ensure each of them gets a special duty a sum of N10,000 each in addition to the food items.

Commissioner Zanna said: “It was in fulfilment of Governor Shettima’s pledge for palliative support that he approved the immediate release of N27.7m cash for onward distribution to each of the visiting personnel of the Nigeria Police Force on special duty, pending a federal government cash inflow. This pledge has been fulfilled as each of them received N10,000 cash with 200 bags of rice, 20 jerrycans of vegetable oil and other condiments to the tune of N27.720m.”

Also speaking at distribution ceremony, Kaka Shehu, the Borno State attorney-general and justice commissioner said the present administration was much more committed to the plight and welfare of security agencies. He commended their immense contribution to restoring peace in the state, adding that the disbursement of the funds should cushion the hardships they faced.