The special police constabularies of the Nigeria Police Force in Ekiti State have lamented the non-payment of their stipends since January, calling on the president, Muhammadu Buhari to consider their plight.
The officers were engaged by the federal government through the force to help in the administration’s community policing agenda towards nipping in the bud the waves of crimes in the society.
The leader of the officers, Temitope Adeoya who addressed journalists in Ifaki-Ekiti, Ido/Osi local government area on Thursday and flanked by other leaders in the state noted that in view of the current security challenges bedevilling the country and the state, they can’t give their best and be committed to providing maximum security of lives and property.
He said although it was a voluntary assignment, it is stated in the Nigeria Police Force Community Policing Handbook that “the dynamics of our society have changed as a result, government either local, state or federal may have to look at the possibility of paying stipends to those to be engaged.”
Adeoya who begged the state Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi to consider paying them remunerations in view of their diligent service to the state, added that the constables had not received a dime since they resumed duties, saying, “payment of stipends to us will definitely boost our morale.”
According to him, “We hereby appeal to the President, the IGP and Governor Fayemi, who is the Chairman, Nigerian Governors’ Forum, to have compassion on us and give us pay to compensate for the services we are rendering.”
He added that even “Item 112 in Part xiii (Special Constables), in the Police Act stipulates allowances, pensions, etc” for the special constables.
“We are working on a full-time basis just like the regular policemen especially against the backdrop of the shortage of manpower in the force, but the tragedy is that we are not being paid any allowance.
“We transport ourselves to and from work on a daily basis. Many of our members who had one job or the other had quit before going to training on the erroneous belief that they had got jobs with the police. The artisans among us have lost their customers while they were away for training.
“We are now living in abject penury and work in that condition. President Buhari should have compassion for us. Governor Fayemi and the police authorities should come to our aid so that we could lead meaningful lives and be able to attend to the needs of our families,” he said.
The special constables who pleaded for payment in view of the value, necessity and hardship of their job, lamented that one of them, Gboyega Omotuyi, died in a motorcycle accident sometime in March on his way back from work.
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