A frustrated Nigerian police officer, PC Ukwu Chiemezie, has narrated some of the terrible and painful experience he had while still in the Force which ultimately led to his resignation from the job.
According to Chiemezie, his meagre monthly salary of N45,000 (which equates to N1,500 per day) wasn’t a morale-booster, as he could hardly feed his mouth or even pay his house rent from it.
He also noted that the dismal package contributes directly to the alarming rate of corruption and extortion from civilians by the personnel.
Here is his experiences
“My name is pc Ukwu Chiemezie. I was enlisted into the Nigeria Police on the 1/2/2018, prior to joining the Nigeria Police I was working at a warehouse in Lagos earning at least N5000 a day but for the sake of my future I decided to apply to be recruited into the Nigeria Police Force.
“After all the screening exercises I was enlisted and to move to training college within a week. We had 6 months training after that we pass out and I was posted to Anambra State.
“I started working in Anambra without accomodation. I had to took a N60,000 loan from my brother to rent a one room apartment.
“I worked for 4 months before we were paid together with the areas. Federal Government paid me N45,000 monthly so I was paid N180,000 for the four months. Out of this I paid my brother the loan of N50,000 I got from him. I used the rest to purchase furniture for the room.
“Do you believe that since that first payment I have not been able to buy anything again?
“Monthly salary of N45,000 is equal to a daily salary of N1500. Out of the N1500 since l am at work most of the time, I worked 12hours everyday. There are some officers that work for 24hours. So because of this I eat outside most of the time.
“A plate of food is N400 times 3 square meals is N1200 and the remaining N300 is what I used for transportation.
“That’s how I spent the daily N1500 Federal Government is paying me. Nothing remain to buy drink like other Nigerians, nothing to buy uniform as we are not being given. Nothing to save.
“Or even for hospital if I am sick, not to talk of assisting my family and friends. I was doing better when I was working in a warehouse earning N5000 daily or more occasionally.”
“Nigerian Police is the worst paid security organisation in the whole of Africa with little or no pension. As I’m writing now I’m owning my landlord 2 years rent. Where will I get the money?
“You can only survive in the police force through corruption. If you refused to be corrupt you will pass through financial hell.
“The government had left police on the mercy of corruption. Every police officer in Nigeria is on psychological strike.
There can never be a better security in Nigeria with this treatment mated out to them.”
“I had three option and I have chosen one :
Option 1
To be corrupt so as to be able to meet up my financial obligations
Option 2
To be attached to a politician so as to become his/her house boy in other to get tokens from them
Option 3
To resign from the work
I have taken option 3 and have said bye bye to a job that I cannot pay my house rent or go to the hospital if I am sick.”
