Off-Cycle Elections: 22,600 NSCDC Personnel Protest Unpaid Allowances Two Weeks After

Two weeks after the off-cycle elections in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa states, personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps deployed for the polls have complained over the alleged refusal of the authorities to pay their allowances.

The NSCDC deployed 22,600 personnel were deployed by the NSCDC for the polls in the three states.

Some of the aggrieved officers on Tuesday told newsmen that the agency had not paid them two weeks and some days after the election while their counterparts from other security agencies had received theirs.

One of the personnel, who spoke anonymously lamented that the delay in the payment of allowance was uncalled for, adding that neither the Commandant General nor any other top officer had called to brief them on the reason for the delay.

He said, “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.”

Another NSCDC operative 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.”

The spokesperson for the NSCDC, Babawale Afolabi when contacted, confirmed that the officers had not been paid their allowances.

“The delay could be from the Ministry of Finance but it would be sorted out very soon,” Afolabi said.