Groups allege uniform racketeering at police commands

Groups allege uniform racketeering at police commands

Some rights groups have raised the alarm over alleged uniform racketeering at police commands in the country.

At a press conference convened by Concerned Human Rights Nigeria on Monday, the groups lamented that officers and rank and file of the force were being coerced into buying police uniforms, particularly the camouflage ones for between N12,000 and N15,000.

Other rights groups that attended the forum were Committee for the Defence of Human Rights; Campaign for Democracy; United Action for Democracy; Veterans’ Group for Operation Clean Crusade and Movement for Islamic Rights and Justice.

National Coordinator, CHRN, Mr. Declan Ihekaire, who read the groups’ text, called on the Federal Government to probe the sale of police uniforms meant to be free.

He alleged that in Lagos Police Command in particular, the uniforms are sold openly.

Ihekaire said, “The uniforms racketeering has assumed such a dimension that official police uniforms bought by the government with taxpayers’ money and meant to be given out freely to police officers are being sold openly at all police commands.

“Surprisingly, the sale is under the supervision of the police high command. The uniforms are of three categories. The black is sold for between N2,500 and N4,000; the black and blue top goes for between N8,000 and N10,000 while the camouflage type is now sold for between N12,000 and N15,000.

“The implication is that the country is undermining its security system, leaving the citizens’ lives in the hands of victimised policemen that will want to recoup the money spent on the uniforms through a transfer of aggression.”

He called on the National Assembly and the Inspector-General of Police to intervene before the matter gets out of hand.

Ihekaire said, “We expect that this ugly uniform racketeering is stopped forthwith and instead, uniforms should be distributed accordingly to the members of the force. The uniforms belong to them and they are not supposed to buy them.”

Another activist, Mr. Raji Rasheed, said if the police failed to do something about the racketeering, he would drag them to court.

Rasheed said, “Police uniforms belong to the government and they are not paid for. There is special allocation for that. It is not peculiar to the police; the armed forces also do not pay for their uniforms.”

Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Frank Mba, denied the allegation of uniform racketeering in the police.

He said, “I do not believe that there is any form of selling of uniforms at the commands. My reasons are that the uniform, especially the camouflage, is just new and undergoing test run. It is not compulsory for policemen to wear it. Therefore, I do not see any incentive for anybody to go out of his way to buy it.

“It is after the uniforms are tested and found good before there will be a mass order. The eventual release of the uniform is a budget-dependent issue.”

Mba said until that was done, it would be presumptuous for anybody to say there is racketeering in the police.

He however clarified that there were categories of officers that were expected to pay for their uniforms, saying the senior officers were expected to pay a token for their uniforms and accoutrement

“It is only the rank and file that get all their uniforms free,” he said.

He added, “We will continue to review the distribution channels. Police officers also know that they have a right to complain if there is anything wrong. We allow senior and junior officers to make anonymous reports to the IGP through police@npf.org.ng.

“We want to strongly encourage people, if they have any issues with the police, to complain through the channels.”