NSCDC Personnel Await Allowances One Week After Osun Poll

One week after the August 15 governorship election in Osun State, personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) deployed from different parts of the country for the election are reportedly still awaiting their election-duty allowances.

Five personnel deployed from Oyo, Delta, Kwara, the Federal Capital Territory and Ondo State separately told Patriotic Insights News that they had completed their assignments but were yet to receive the allowances attached to the election duty.

The five personnel spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak publicly on the matter.

Their accounts, coming from different commands, point to a common concern among some of the officers who participated in the security operation: the election is over, but their allowances are yet to be paid.

10,000 personnel deployed

Ahead of the election, the NSCDC deployed about 10,000 personnel from 10 state commands to Osun State as part of the security arrangements for the poll.

The personnel were drawn from Oyo, Ondo, Ekiti, Ogun, Lagos, Kwara, Edo, Kogi, Delta and the Federal Capital Territory.

Additional specialised personnel were also deployed for intelligence and tactical operations.

The officers were deployed across the state to provide security for voters, electoral officials, observers, journalists, election materials and other stakeholders.

Five personnel, five commands

A personnel deployed from Oyo State told our correspondent that he had completed his assignment and returned to his regular command but was yet to receive his election-duty allowance.

A second personnel from Delta State similarly confirmed that payment had not reached him.

The third, deployed from Kwara State, said officers were waiting for information on when the allowance would be paid.

Another personnel from the Federal Capital Territory also confirmed that he was yet to receive the payment.

The fifth personnel, deployed from Ondo State, gave a similar account.

The five sources spoke separately to Patriotic Insights News, and their accounts were obtained independently.

Their reports are significant because they involve personnel from different commands rather than officers from a single location.

However, Patriotic Insights News has not established that all 10,000 personnel deployed for the election remain unpaid.

Where is the payment process?

The central question arising from the accounts of the five personnel is straightforward:

Where has the payment process stalled?

Has the money been released?

If it has, when was it released and through which channel?

If it has not been released, what is responsible for the delay?

And when should the affected personnel expect payment?

The exact amount approved as election-duty allowance per officer, as well as the total financial commitment for the deployment, could not be independently established as of the time of filing this report.

The human side of election duty

For the personnel involved, the assignment required them to leave their regular commands and travel to Osun State.

They were deployed for long hours and expected to remain at their assigned locations throughout the electoral exercise.

For some, the assignment also involved additional transportation, feeding and other personal expenses.

Now that the election has ended, they are waiting for the financial obligation attached to the assignment to be fulfilled.

The concern is not simply about money.

It is also about certainty.

Personnel who have completed an official assignment should not have to rely on rumours or unofficial information to know when they will be paid.

Questions for NSCDC leadership

The development raises important questions for the NSCDC leadership and relevant authorities responsible for election-duty payments.

What amount was approved as allowance for each personnel?

What was the total amount approved for the Osun deployment?

Has the money been released?

If released, when did disbursement begin?

How many personnel have so far been paid?

Why are some personnel still waiting?

When will outstanding payments be completed?

The Commandant-General of the NSCDC and relevant authorities should provide clarification on the payment process.

No allegation of wrongdoing

There is no allegation in this report that election-duty funds have been diverted, misappropriated or unlawfully withheld.

The delay could be the result of administrative, financial or verification procedures.

But that possibility makes an official explanation even more important.

The affected personnel deserve to know the status of their allowances and when they can reasonably expect payment.

Right of reply

Patriotic Insights News is seeking a response from the NSCDC leadership and relevant authorities on the status of the election-duty allowances.

The Corps is expected to clarify whether payment has commenced, the number of personnel already paid and the expected timeline for settling outstanding obligations.

Any official response received will be published.

The question remains

The political contest in Osun is over.

The results have been announced.

But for the security personnel who travelled from Oyo, Delta, Kwara, the FCT and Ondo to perform election duties, one issue remains unresolved.

They answered the call to duty.

They completed their assignment.

Now they want to know when the allowance attached to that service will be paid.

One week after the election, the question from affected personnel remains simple: when will they receive their election-duty allowances?

Patriotic Insights News will continue to follow the matter.