Police personnel deployed on special duty to combat insecurity in Benue State have lamented the non-payment of their operational allowances for several months, saying they are being forced to confront armed bandits and deadly communal clashes without adequate financial support.
The affected officers, drawn from the 45 Police Mobile Force (PMF) and more than 11 other squadrons deployed from Abuja, alleged that they had been abandoned despite risking their lives in volatile communities across the state.
Some of the personnel said they had gone four months without receiving their operational allowances, while others reported delays lasting between three and five months.
The officers also accused the Benue State Government of failing to address their financial difficulties despite their continued deployment to areas affected by armed attacks and communal violence.
One of the affected officers, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation, disclosed in a telephone interview that at least three police personnel had been killed in separate attacks in recent weeks in Logo Local Government Area.
The officer said personnel of the 45 PMF arrived in Benue State from Abuja on January 28, 2026, and had continued to operate in dangerous areas without receiving their allowances for four months.
“I’m from 45 PMF on special duty here in Benue State. We came from Abuja to this state since January 28, 2026. For four months now we have not been paid operation allowances and the state government is not doing anything about it,” the officer said.
The officer further recounted the deaths of colleagues in separate attacks, describing the situation as increasingly difficult for personnel deployed to confront armed groups.
“A few weeks ago, we lost two of our men in an ambush in Logo Local Government Area and a week before that, we lost one Inspector to armed bandit attack. Also in Kwande Local Government Area, we have been facing communal crisis. We’re dying from bullets and hardship at the same time,” the officer said.
The complaints come amid persistent security challenges in parts of Benue State, where armed attacks and communal violence have continued to threaten residents and security personnel.
Another officer disclosed that the delayed allowances were not limited to the 45 PMF but also affected other police squadrons deployed to volatile local government areas, including Ukum, Kwande and Logo.
According to the officer, personnel from the different units had continued to conduct security operations despite the prolonged delays in the payment of their operational entitlements.
The officer also described the destruction of property arising from communal violence in Kwande Local Government Area, where houses were reportedly destroyed and burnt during renewed clashes between two communities.
“There is a communal crisis between two communities in Kwande Local Government Area and destruction and burning of houses happened last week. It has been happening since we came in January,” the officer said.
The personnel explained that their duties included moving through forests and surrounding communities to track down armed groups accused of terrorising residents.
“We are going from bush to bush, combing to flush out the terrorists and bandits terrorising the people and the state government is not doing anything to assist us. Yet, we can’t speak for ourselves,” the officer added.
The officers maintained that the lack of operational allowances had compounded the difficulties of serving in high-risk areas, where they are exposed to ambushes and other deadly attacks.
They further disclosed that the duration of non-payment varied among the deployed units, with some personnel reportedly going five months without allowances, while others had experienced delays of three months.
The latest complaint follows an earlier report by SaharaReporters published on September 27, 2026, which detailed the grievances of police personnel deployed to Benue State over delayed operational allowances while continuing to face deadly attacks.
The renewed allegations have raised concerns about the welfare and operational support available to security personnel deployed to conflict-affected communities, particularly as they continue to confront armed groups in difficult terrain.
Efforts to obtain a response from the police authorities were unsuccessful, as calls to the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Anietie Iniedu, reportedly went unanswered.
As of the time of the report, there was no response from the Force Public Relations Officer to the allegations concerning the delayed allowances. The Benue State Government had also not provided a response to the officers’ claims.