By Ayooluwa Ayobami
The Nigeria Police Force has categorically denied claims made by an online media outlet suggesting that Divisional Headquarters lack budgetary allocations and that officers depend solely on unofficial funding for their operations, including bail payments.
In a statement released on Friday, October 25, by Force Public Relations Officer Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Police Authority described the article, titled “Nigeria Police Force Face Funding Scandal: N15,000 Allocation for 3 Months Sparks Corruption Concerns,” published by Ecos Intelligence, as “fake, misleading, and inaccurate.”
Adejobi asserted that no legitimate Divisional Police Officer would provide such erroneous information unless impersonated.
The statement emphasized that Divisional Police Officers receive statutory funding from federal allocations, supplemented by support from state governments.
It dismissed the publication’s claims as false and a calculated attempt to undermine the police force.
In response to the misleading article, the Inspector General of Police has initiated an investigation to identify the sources of the misinformation.
While acknowledging the historical challenges of inadequate funding, the statement highlighted the current government’s commitment to increasing financial resources for police operations, noting improvements in funding and promising prospects for the future.
The NPF reiterated its dedication to transparency and warned individuals against spreading falsehoods that could tarnish the institution’s reputation or undermine the efforts of its officers, who work tirelessly to ensure national security.