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No monetisation for Police and Armed Forces
Chris Agbambu,
Deputy Bureau
Chief
, Abuja
The Inspector General of Police, Tafa
Balogun on Tuesday announced that the police and the armed forces are not
entitled to monetisation policy of the Federal government.
Balogun who dropped the bombshell, during
an interactive session with Inspector, Sergeant and other ranks in Abuja,
following the allegation that some officers have pocketed their monetisation
proceeds.
According to him, “because of the
peculiar nature of our job and that of the armed force to stay in barracks, we
are not entitled to monetisation”.
He however added that if for one reason
or the other any policeman lives outside the barracks, then rent subsidy is
paid to me.
IGP Balogun warned the policemen not to go
and start accusing their Commissioners of Police for putting their monetisation
money in a fixed deposit account because there is nothing like that.
Speaking earlier, Balogun, who said that
the purpose of the meeting was primarily to interact with them and listen to
their complaints in areas where the shoes are pinching them, assured them that
the areas which the police high command cannot meet their needs or demands,
will be channeled to the appropriate authorities for action.
He warned the policemen to always be at
alert and combat readiness, as they must put up a gallant fight against
criminals, because the police cannot live at the mercy of these hoodlums.
Citing the recent incident in Edo state
where about nine policemen were killed, Balogun noted that if those policemen
were alert and combat ready, they wouldn’t have fallen prey to the
criminals.
He said that the incident in Edo state is
worrisome and calls for concern, adding that the police will no longer tolerate
the indiscriminate killing of its officers and men as it is now time for
outright onslaught against the hoodlums.
One area that every policeman must watch
out is clustering around a vehicle during stop and search, as they must
position themselves in different directions, so that there won’t be
escape routes for such criminals.
“The Edo debacle is a big lesson
for all of us, you must protect yourself, you must gather security information
about yourself, you should not cluster yourself together when doing stop and
search,” he warned.
Also Balogun directed all state
Commissioners of Police, Area Commanders and Zonal A.I.G to educate their
officers and men on this new safety precautions.
Speaking on corruption, Balogun lamented
that policemen were still extorting money from motorists, warning that this
must stop, as many of them have been dismissed, while others have been reduced
in ranks, to serve as deterrent, yet to no avail.
“You must shun corruption, the
IGP’s monitoring unit is being strengthened to check this canker worm,
while all state commands are also rejuvenating their monitoring teams for this
purpose”.
On promotions, Balogun disclosed that in
the next two weeks, promotions will be released, some in January and others in
February all in efforts to boost their welfare.
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