A massive scandal is currently rocking the Nigerian Police Force as details of bribery for promotions have come to the fore.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Navy, Senator Isah Hamma Misau (APC, Bauchi) has corroborated testimony from independent sources that the office of the Inspector General of Police, as well as the Police Service Commission collect as much as N2.5 million in bribed from police officers in order to give them special promotion.
Daily Trust reports that an independent source disclosed to their correspondent police officers paying as much as N500,000 to receive career growth.
Their source disclosed, “Officers pay as much as N500,000 to get promoted. It is only those that pay the money and those who are close to the top echelon of the police and politicians that are benefiting from the special promotion.
“Special promotion, which is supposed to be reward for gallantry and outstanding performance, has turned to cash and carry. Otherwise, why is that officers who are serving in the Northeast have not benefited? Why is that all those who have benefited are those manning juicy posts and close to politician?’’
Corroborating this testimony, Senator Misau said the money being collected was well in excess of N500,000.
He told Daily Trust, “You are talking about N500, 000, it’s beyond that. A serving police officer aware of the trend has told me that they pay as much as N2.5 million to get special promotion. Other sources have also confirmed to me. So it is nothing but fact.’’
“We cannot just fold our hands and allow this to continue. The special promotion should be reversed as it was done during the time of Nuhu Ribadu. Unless this is done the lives of Nigerians would no longer be secured. The special promotion is highly compromised.
“Corruption is not only associated with money, it has many forms and money for promotion is part of it. We have to urgently address this because the consequence is what we are witness today’’.
Daily Trust also reported the testimony of an unidentified serving officer who was frustrated with the lack of meritocracy driven channels for career appreciation.
“I’m tired of the bribe for promotion. Junior officers are being promoted and deployed to strategic locations. I swear if I have capital I would’ve resigned from the force,” he told Daily Trust.