Police distance force from alleged seven-month allowance arrears in Plateau

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has distanced itself from allegations by some Mobile Police (MOPOL) officers that they have gone seven months without receiving operational allowances while on peacekeeping duty in Plateau State, saying the officers are serving under the military-led Operation Safe Haven and not under the administrative control of the Force.

The clarification follows complaints by some officers deployed to conflict-prone communities in Plateau, who alleged that allowances promised by the Plateau State Government had remained unpaid since December 2025 despite claims that the funds were being released.

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Speaking on the controversy, the Force Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Anietie Iniedu, said the Nigeria Police Force does not administer allowances for personnel deployed under Operation Safe Haven, a multi-agency security task force coordinated by the military.

“The operation that I know of in Plateau State is not handled by the police. It is a Joint Task Force being coordinated by the military under Operation Safe Haven. It comprises personnel from several security agencies, so the police are not responsible for that operation or the payment of allowances,” Iniedu said.

He urged aggrieved officers to make use of established internal channels to ventilate their grievances rather than taking such matters to the public, warning that public complaints could undermine the morale of security personnel engaged in critical national assignments.

The police spokesman’s reaction came after some officers, who spoke anonymously, claimed they were deployed from Kano State in December 2025 to provide security in Jos South, Barkin Ladi, Bokkos and other flashpoints in Plateau State.

According to the officers, they were assured upon arrival that each would receive a monthly operational allowance of ₦150,000 from the Plateau State Government but alleged that only the December allowance was paid.

One of the officers claimed they later learned that the state government had continued to release the funds, alleging that the allowances may have been diverted.

“We have not received any payment from January to July. We don’t know who is responsible, but we believe the matter should be investigated,” the officer alleged.

Another officer described the financial hardship faced by personnel deployed to remote communities, saying rising living costs had made it increasingly difficult to survive on their regular salaries.

“Our salaries alone are no longer enough to sustain us here and support our families. Some of our colleagues have even been asked to vacate their rented apartments because they can no longer pay rent,” he said.

The officers also appealed to the Inspector-General of Police and other relevant authorities to investigate the alleged non-payment and ensure that all outstanding entitlements are settled.

Operation Safe Haven was established to tackle communal violence, banditry and other security threats in Plateau State and parts of neighbouring states. The joint security outfit comprises personnel from the Nigerian Army, Police, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and other security agencies working together to restore peace in the region.

As of the time of filing this report, the Plateau State Government had not publicly responded to the allegations that allowances meant for the deployed officers were being withheld or diverted.