A Nigerian police officer (name withheld) has made shocking revelations about the poor management and welfare structure of the Nigerian Police Force.
The senior officer (a superintendent) who spoke to the Nigerian newspaper Daily Post narrated how police officers in Nigeria buy their bullets and magazines themselves.
The officer was revealed to be attached to one of the stations in Area F, Lagos State Police Command and was a former member of the now-disbanded SARS unit.
The officer said the Force only gives officers guns and they are forced to source for bullets and magazines themselves.
The officer also blamed the “porous nature of the system” for the misbehaviour of some of the officers. The officer said the price of bullets in Nigeria ranges from N5,500 to N7,500 for a pack of 25 rounds.
He said
“We receive imprest of between seven to fifteen thousand for each police station, that is why the police are almost like beggars in all stations. Bullets and magazines especially all those tactical squads buy their bullets and magazines. The authorities just give them guns but the officers are the ones that will buy their bullets and magazines.
“These officers usually buy these bullets and magazines from other police establishments like stations, and Commands. We also get these items from NDA, military, and any place necessary. Each magazine goes between 2,000 and 5,000 while bullets are sold ranging from 5,500 to 7,500 for a pack of 25 rounds.”
The officer added:
“The welfare of police officers is very poor, look at our barracks, look at our salaries very poor. Recently they announced increments in our salaries but the increment was only N3,500.”
