Numerous officers within the Nigeria Police Force have expressed their frustrations regarding the Police Cooperative, which they claim has repeatedly failed to release their voluntary contributions. These officers allege that the cooperative has been unresponsive to their requests for funds.
Officers reported that a monthly deduction of N1,000 is taken from their salaries as a mandatory contribution to the cooperative. However, they are only able to access this money upon retirement or in the event of their death, a situation they find deeply troubling.
According to sources, many officers choose to make additional voluntary contributions, with some contributing as much as N20,000 each month. The expectation was that these voluntary contributions would be readily available when needed. Yet, when officers apply for their funds, they claim that senior members of the police force, including an Assistant Inspector General and several Commissioners, often deny their requests.
These senior officials are reportedly using the pooled funds to support their associates and family members, some of whom are employed by the cooperative itself. One officer serving in Katsina expressed his discontent, stating, “As junior police officers, we are suffering. The purpose of a cooperative is to provide support in times of need. However, we face obstacles in accessing our funds.”
Another officer from Ogun State recounted a personal tragedy, revealing how she was unable to withdraw funds from her voluntary contributions when her sister fell gravely ill. Despite requesting N350,000 from her total of about N600,000, the cooperative did not release any funds before her sister’s passing. “I applied for over a month, but there was no communication regarding my request. I have been contributing N20,000 monthly for five years without accessing a single naira from my savings,” she lamented.
This officer emphasized that the cooperative was meant to allow members to withdraw funds in times of need, yet it seems that those in charge are misappropriating the funds, hiring their relatives and friends with the contributions. “In a typical cooperative, contributors receive interest and clear reports on their savings. However, that transparency is entirely lacking within the Nigeria Police Cooperative,” she added.
Another police officer in Lagos confirmed these allegations, sharing that despite having submitted his request for over three years, he has not received any money from the cooperative. He noted, “I have over N500,000 in there, but I haven’t seen a single kobo.”
The officers are particularly concerned about the management of the cooperative, which is reportedly led by an Assistant Inspector General along with various senior officers. Efforts by SaharaReporters to obtain a response from the cooperative were unsuccessful. When they contacted an Assistant Superintendent named Habila Dan Shomo, he denied any involvement with the cooperative, stating, “I work at the Force Headquarters, not in a cooperative.”
The ongoing issues with the Police Cooperative have left many officers feeling frustrated and neglected, as they navigate a system that seems to prioritize the interests of a few over the welfare of the many.
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