IGP, Ringim wants Bankole to pay Police Orderlies Outstanding Allowances...Faces EFCC Thursday

Dimeji Bankole
Embattled outgoing Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Dimeji Bankole has been accused of pocketing allowances due to police and security personnel attached to his office for more than one year, pointblanknews.com has learned.

This is coming on the heels of his date with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), over the N10bn loan crisis rocking the House, and sundry graft allegations.

The allegations include the use of the House's accounts as collaterals to secure a private loan; the controversial N10 billion facility; the N2.3billion car scam; and the purchase of NET Building in Lagos for N4billion.

Sources told Pointblanknews.com that the Speaker's refusal to pay allowances of his security personnel has dampened the moral of the State Security Services, SSS and Police attached to his office.

Police and Security personnel attached to the speaker are entitled to a Basic Travel Allowance, BTA of between N15, 000.00 and N20, 000.00 everyday they spend outside of Abuja with the Speaker. The Speaker according to sources has SSS and policemen in his office, his house at the Legislative Quarters, his house in Abeokuta and his several other Guest Houses in Abuja and Ogun State.

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Consequently, the Inspector General of Police, IG Hafiz Ringim has called on the outgoing Speaker ensure that travel and other allowances due policemen attached to him are duly paid before the expiration of his tenure.

The Inspector General of Police was acting on a petition sent to him by over 50 Policemen, and SSS personnel attached to the office of the Speaker. They alleged that for more than a year, the Speaker has refused to approve all their travel allowances, for no legitimate reason. Instead he gave the men handouts from time to time in lieu of outstation allowances.

Sources told pointblanknews.com that the Speaker has the habit of refusing to sign payment of out station allowances due to his aides as most have had to live without the courage to demand for payment for fear of being sacked.

“As I am talking to you now, most of his aides don't get their allowances and entitlements. Even the common BTA allowances which they are entitled anytime they travel with him, he never signs the papers for them to get it. It is a shame,” the source told pointblanknews.com

 
According to the source, “you can imagine that the policemen with him had to write to the IG asking him to prevail on the Speaker to pay their allowances.”

The source could not confirm the date when the petition was sent to the IG and when the IG responded but insisted that “I am aware that the IG responded to the petition.”

A group, Youth Anti-Corruption League, last week marched on the EFCC, demanding Bankole's probe.

The League submitted a one-page petition to the EFCC through its President, Jumoke Iliyasu.