- Death benefits of 3000 officers allegedly trapped
- IGP, Idris summoned
- We’ve paid 112 claims – Police
The Federal House of Representatives has begun a probe into several fraud allegations made against the Nigeria Police Force and some of its former leaders by some officers and families of deceased personnel.
The investigation followed several complaints and petitions made to the House on unpaid insurance claims to families of deceased officers, unremitted life insurance premiums for personnel and other fraud accusations against the police authorities, involving billions of naira.
To this end, a reliable source in Abuja told our correspondent that the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, had been summoned by the lawmakers to clarify, among other issues, why the entitlements of over 3000 police officers, who died while serving the country, had remained unpaid years after their demise.
Our correspondent gathered that, years after their demise, families of some 3000 deceased men of the police force were still owed life insurance claims, allegedly worth over N20 billion.
The case, which had been on since 2011, has somewhat metamorphosed into a crisis among family members, the Police, Non-Governmental Organisations, insurance firms and members of the House of Representatives.
Investigations by our correspondent also revealed that police authorities had, over the last two years, failed to remit, in total, the life insurance premiums for a reasonable number of serving police officers.
Records show that the Police pays about N5.4 billion as premium for life insurance policy on the over 370,000 men and officers in its employ, annually, to insurance firms involved in the scheme.
Investigations by our correspondent, however, revealed that premium for the year 2016 had yet to be paid for some officers. This is in spite of the fact that funds meant for the payment had been disbursed to police authorities by the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Interior, the supervising ministry for the police force.
Recall that the Force had, in 2013, pulled out of the group life insurance scheme initiated by the Federal Government for all its members of staff and requested for an approval to have a separate policy solely for its officers and men.
The Police successfully created a special insurance scheme for its officers after it was able to prove that there was a need for its men to get adequate compensation since the Force had been making the highest claims from insurance firms.
The alleged insurance premium scam is besides a subsisting N4.07 billion fraud allegation levelled against the management of the Force, under the leadership of a former Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar.
In what became renowned as ‘the N4.07 billion share scandal’ in 2013, the office of the IG, through its agents, Fokas Savings & Loans, deducted N11,000 in two instalments from the 370,000 police personnel across the country, allegedly without their consent, to purchase shares of the mortgage firm.
from the 370,000 police personnel across the country, allegedly without their consent, to purchase shares of the mortgage firm.
Though, the ownership of the Abeokuta, Ogun State-based Primary Mortgage Institution was not clear, reports indicated that the firm was later bought over by the Force as the Central Bank of Nigeria changed its name to the Nigeria Police Mortgage Bank Limited.
Critics alleged that, out of the N4.07 billion deducted from the officers’ accounts, only N3.95 billion was paid as the share capital by the Police.
That, according to some officers, meant that the police could allegedly not account for about N120 million. And interestingly, from 2013 till date, some of the aggrieved officers told our correspondent that the PMI had yet to pay any dividend or hold any general meeting with them.
Security experts have, however, expressed worry that the alleged financial misappropriations in the Police may affect the commitment of men of the Force.
“The implications of the unfolding development may manifest in waning levels of commitment of serving officers to duty, owing mainly to lack of incentives,” an officer, who asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter, said.
WE’RE INVESTIGATING THE POLICE – Reps
Meanwhile, in a confirmation of the hint by The Point’s source, a member of the House of Representatives, Tony Nwulu, representing Oshodi-Isolo Federal Constituency 11, in the House, disclosed that the lawmakers had started investigating the several fraud allegations levelled against the Force and some of its former leaders.
Nwulu said it was true that IGP Idris had been summoned over unpaid entitlements of over 3000 police officers, who died while serving the country.
He added that investigation was ongoing on several fund misappropriation within the police force, noting that several petitions had been received by the House, especially on entitlements of deceased officers.
Nwulu said, “The Police is currently under scrutiny over their failure to pay the entitlement of over 3,000 officers that died on duty. The House recently summoned the IGP and we have asked him to investigate the case. I am also aware that they could not fund their officers’ group life insurance policy for 2016 and this is serious.
“That means that lives of thousands of people working under the Police are at risk. The funds are all embedded in the annual allocation given to police and it is shocking they are not paid. The House is set to stop all fraud in the Police and that is why we are currently on the case. We don’t want situations where families of the deceased suffer after losing their bread winners while serving this country.”
WE’RE NOT ENCOURAGED – OFFICERS
At the Lagos command, most of the officers, who spoke with The Point in separate interviews, said that their enthusiasm for work had since reduced, following the discovery of the delay in payment of their premium as well as the insurance claims of their deceased colleagues.
According to a respondent, who preferred anonymity, the lack of group life insurance for them means their future is in doubt with the Police.
He said, “We are the major agency in this country, responsible for protecting lives of citizens and properties. So our insurance should not be negotiable. We all know the level of fraud within the Force, but when you have not seen another employment offer, it is better to keep quiet. If government and police authorities are concerned about our plight, are they supposed to joke with our lives?”
The wife of a slain Inspector, Philip Ekpe, with Force number AP/ No. 46945, is still in shock over what she described as greed and an act of irresponsibility on the part of both the management of the Nigeria Police Force and Leverage Insurance Limited.
According to her, since 2007, when her husband was murdered by armed robbers alongside one Police constable, Charles Aigbodion, (Force number- 364298) by Toyota Bus Stop, along Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Lagos State, the family has been kept in the dark over the claims from the life insurance of the deceased.
She said, “The Nigeria Police Force, in a letter, dated June 20, 2013, authorised Leverage Insurance Limited to pay the next of kin, Mr. Samuel Ekpe, the sum of N2.7 million, as the death benefit of the deceased, but till date no payment has been made.
“I have been going to Abuja from Lagos to process the compensation. I have done all the things required of me but nothing has been done. I plead with the President and the IG to fight for the families of slain police officers. They should not allow us to suffer this unnecessary hardship before we collect death benefits of our husbands.”
Another victim of the unending wait for insurance claim is Mrs. Iyabo Ajetunmobi, wife of late Inspector Taiye Ajetunmobi, who was killed by armed robbers.
To make ends meet for the family of the officer, who was declared a hero by the then Lagos State commissioner of Police, Mr. Umar Manko, has been challenging, as he left behind three wives and 12 children.
The family’s spokesperson alleged that, in less than six months after his demise, the police authority attempted to eject the family from his residence at Obalende barracks.
Also, the relatives of late Assistant Superintendent of Police, Jamiu Ajele, (Force number: 79657) are currently facing hard times as the authorities have allegedly failed to pay the entitlements of the officer.
Speaking with The Point, his first son, Mr. Razak Ajele, said, “My father’s entitlement has not been paid to us since he died in 2012. We have written several letters to the police authority but nothing has been done. As I speak with you, our family is facing a lot of financial problem. We hope the IGP can intervene for us.”
Lives of thousands of people working in the Police are at risk. The funds are all embedded in the annual allocation given to police and it is shocking they are not paid. The House is set to stop all fraud in the police and that is why we are currently on the case
WE’VE PAID 112 FAMILIES – POLICE
Meanwhile, Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Jimoh Moshood, told our correspondent that the police had paid claims to 112, out of over 3,000 families of deceased officers.
Reacting to inquiries, he said, “Our officers were insured, that is why people are still benefiting. On the alleged scam, I think the Officer in Charge of insurance will be able to answer the question correctly. I will get the information from him and relay to you. Currently, he is in a meeting. Once he is through from the meeting, I will get the information across to you.”
