Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno state has released the sum of N27.7 million which are to be shared to about 2,640 Mobile Policemen who had protested lack of six months payment of their duty allowances by the Federal Government.
The Governor also released 200 bags of 50kg rice and assorted jerricans of vegetable oil to support the Federal Government’s feeding programme of all MOPOL officers and men deployed on a special duty to fight Boko Haram menace in the state.
The distribution of money to the protesting policemen and handing over of the food items took place at the Borno State Police Command under the watchful eyes of the governor’s representatives, Commissioners for Local Government and Emirate Affairs and the State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Hon. Usman Zanna and Barrister Kaka Shehu.
Recall that on 2nd July 2018, hundreds of aggrieved mobile policemen, mainly rank, and file, stormed Borno Police Command and barricaded major highways, insisting that their withheld six months outstanding allowances be paid with immediate effect or they would continue to disrupt socio-economic activities in the city and other official duties at the state police command.
This prompted a quick intervention when Commissioner of Police, Damian Chukwu addressed the MOPOLs and promised them that their allowances will soon be paid, adding that, the Commissioner of Police in-charge of Police Mobile Force will soon pay a visit to Maiduguri as ordered by the Inspection General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris.
Although the Protesting Mopols are yet to receive their allowances, Borno State Government had to intervene by giving each of the 2,640 Mopols on a Special Duty a sum of N10,000 each, in addition to the food items.
Commissioner Zanna who spoke to newsmen after the disbursement at the Police Headquarters said, “It was fulfilment of Governor Shettima’s pledge for palliative support, where he approved the immediate release of N27.7 million cash for onward distribution to each of the visiting personnel of the Nigeria Police Force on Special Duty, pending Federal Government Cash Inflow.
” This pledge has been fulfilled as each of them received N10,000 cash with 200 bags of rice, 20 jerricans of Vegetable Oil and other condiments to the tune of N27.720 million”. He stated.
Also Speaking at the venue of the distribution, Commissioner of Justice, Kaka Shehu said, the present administration was much more committed to the plights and welfare of security agencies, considering their immense contribution to restoring peace in the state, hence, the disbursement of such funds to cushion the hardship of Mopols deployed to the state.
