Personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps deployed for the November 11 gubernatorial elections in Bayelsa, Kogi, and Imo states have protested about the authorities’ alleged refusal to pay their allowances.
The NSCDC sent out 22,600 poll workers across three states.
Some of the disgruntled officers told The PUNCH on Tuesday that the agency had not paid them two weeks and a few days after the election, despite the fact that their peers from other security agencies had.
One of the personnel, who talked to our reporter anonymously on Tuesday, said the delay in payment of allowance was uncalled for, and that neither the Commandant General nor any other high official had called to advise them on the cause for the delay.
“As I am talking to you now, we have not received our allowance for the off-cycle polls. No one has come to address us. It is not fair. It is our entitlement.
“It was not like this before. I wonder if the authorities want to pocket our allowances. Almost all our colleagues in other security agencies have received theirs,” he stated.
Another NSCDC agent said:
“This delay in the payment of our allowance is not good at all. Please, help us find out from the leadership what is happening to our allowance.
“Anytime it comes to elections, NSCDC personnel are usually the last to get theirs.
“We risked our lives and it is expected that we are paid as soon as possible. Two of our officers died in the Bayelsa boat accident.”
When contacted, NSCDC spokeswoman Babawale Afolabi acknowledged that the officers’ allowances had not been paid.
According to Afolabi:
“The delay could be from the Ministry of Finance but it would be sorted out very soon.”
cc: Punch Ng
