According to the DPO, several police divisions across the country receive no budget allocation at all. These divisions, which were established to bring policing closer to grassroots communities, are not recognized by the Force Headquarters and therefore do not have their operational costs covered in the national budget.
“It is practically impossible to eliminate corruption in the force under these circumstances,” the officer said, adding that all police stations rely heavily on proceeds from corruption to stay functional.
The DPO criticized the police command for misleading the public with claims that bail is free and that bribes should not be paid to officers. “When the high command tells citizens that bail is free or not to bribe officers, they are mocking you,” the officer stated. “They know full well that circumstances will force people to offer bribes or pay for bail.”
He further explained the harsh reality faced by citizens in police custody:
“How many people can resist paying for bail when faced with the poor conditions of police detention facilities? How many can endure being detained indefinitely while waiting to be charged to court?”
The officer provided detailed insights into the difficulties faced by police divisions across Nigeria:
“Divisional police offices receive N15,000 or N30,000 only once every three to four months, depending on their jurisdiction. Some divisions receive no funding at all. Yet, these divisions are expected to operate efficiently and provide security.”
He outlined the logistical challenges:
“You’re expected to run a division with four patrol vans for three months on N15,000—fueling, maintaining the vehicles, buying stationery, and covering other essential utilities with that same amount. It’s impossible!
“What do you do when suspects in the cells have no family members to provide food? How do you feed them from the meager allocation? That’s why nominal complainants and even suspects are asked to bring money to buy stationery for statements.”
The DPO admitted that officers have no choice but to rely on bail payments and other unofficial funds. “As a DPO, I can’t dip into my personal bank account to keep the station running. That’s why we resort to bail money and other proceeds,” he said.
The DPO urged the National Assembly to investigate the allocation of funds within the police force, particularly the budget provided to divisional offices. He stressed the need for a systemic overhaul, warning that no country can prosper with a corrupt and underfunded police force.
“Any nation with a corrupt and weak police force has no future,” the officer warned.
Despite the challenges, the DPO expressed hope that meaningful reform is possible if key stakeholders—including the media, civil society groups, parliament, judiciary, and the presidency—collaborate to address corruption at the highest levels of the police command.
As of the time of filing this report, efforts to reach the Force Headquarters for comments on the DPO’s revelations were unsuccessful.
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