From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Police force headquarters in Abuja have described the alleged deduction of salary of police personnel as fake news. The police said the fake news published by an online medium was targeted at tarnishing not just the image of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, Former IGP, Mohammed Abubakar but the entire police force.
Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, who made this known said there was no truth in report and called called on reputable Media Organizations in the country to entrench the importance of professional standards in reportage particularly where unverified information was concerned.
Adejobi, in a statement, condemned the situation where journalist would ignore the ethics of professional journalism, and balanced reportage “and throw all caution to the wind in a bid to enjoy the thrills of sensationalism, albeit fleeting”.
He said, “It is instructive to note that both referred false publications bothered on finances which are neither controlled actively by, or under the direct purview of the Nigeria Police Force. In the first instance, salaries of Police officers, as with other public servants, are paid on the IPPIS platform from the office of the Accountant General of the Federation
” The Inspector-General of Police is equally paid, like every other officer, from the same platform. Access to make deductions, if any, rests with the handlers of the platform.
“It is equally pertinent to note that the 20% increment approved by the Federal Executive Council affects only allowances and not basic pay which obviously explains the ignorance and mischief by the Online media outfit, enforced by its failure to seek knowledge of the process before embarking on a wild goose chase.
” Similarly, the Online Media outfit goofed in its attempt to smear the reputation of the past Inspector-General of Police, IGP Mohammed Dahiru Abubakar (Rtd.) by alleging that he coerced officers to part with money which was mismanaged. This allegation is a falsehood by the news platform which intent is yet unclear.
” To set the record straight, in 2013, the Nigeria Police Force acquired a mortgage institution, Fokas Savings and Loans Limited (now known as Nigeria Police Mortgage Bank Limited – NPMB), to assist every policeman to get housing loans from the Federal Mortgage Bank at low interest rates.
” As part of the prerequisites to re-capitalise the bank and effect its change of name as stipulated by law, the then IGP directed that the ownership of the bank be thrown open to all police personnel to buy into the shares of the bank.
” Subsequently, sensitization activities were carried out and subscription forms distributed. Deductions for the shares were made from the account of the subscribers and accrued money remitted directly to the CBN. Shares certificates were thereafter issued and made available for pick up at the various branches of the NPMB and other designated police offices for the 151,238 Police subscribers.
” The NPMB in furtherance of its mission has, in the past 9 years, given out loans to the tune of 4.1bn Naira to police personnel in support of their house ownership aspirations”.