Police Inspector Cries Out Over Hardship, Threatens Suicide, Laments Serving For 23 Years Without Uniform Allowance
A serving Nigerian police inspector, Nkuje Samson, has lamented the worsening hardship and poor welfare conditions within the Nigeria Police Force, revealing that he has contemplated suicide due to the financial difficulties he faces despite spending more than two decades in service.
Samson, who joined the police in 2003, made the disclosure in a video interview that went viral on Tuesday, appealing to President Bola Tinubu to urgently address what he described as the suffering of thousands of officers across the country.
The inspector said he decided to speak publicly despite the possibility of facing disciplinary action for violating police regulations, adding that he could no longer remain silent about the difficulties confronting him and his colleagues.
“I was even contemplating suicide. I was contemplating suicide. I said, no, I have another option. And the option is to call younger people like me to hear my view. If that can just relieve my depression,” he said.
According to Samson, police regulations have prevented many officers from speaking openly about their working conditions, leaving them to endure years of hardship without adequate support.
He claimed that he was speaking on behalf of approximately 200,000 police officers who, according to him, were struggling with poor welfare and deplorable living conditions.
“The condition of living within the police system is very, very bad,” he said.
Struggles to Provide for His Family
Samson expressed frustration that after more than 23 years in the force, he still struggles to provide for his family and sometimes depends on relatives to pay his children’s school fees.
He described the situation as embarrassing, questioning why an officer who had dedicated more than two decades to national service should continue to struggle with basic family responsibilities.
“If you are my brother, you should be quite unfortunate that you have me as a brother, an inspector of police who has served for over 23 years, and I’ll still be calling you to pay my children’s school fees. I think that is not good enough,” he said.
The inspector appealed to Tinubu to investigate the welfare situation within the police, warning the President against relying solely on assurances from officials who claim that officers are satisfied with their working conditions.
“The President is the father of the nation. He should never listen to anybody who comes to him with a smiling face on behalf of us. That person is there for his or her sake,” Samson said.
“No police officer is smiling. If they tell you that any police officer is smiling, that person is telling a lie. We are not smiling. We are suffering.”
Complains of Poor Accommodation, Unpaid Allowances
The police inspector also lamented the state of police accommodation, describing some buildings as dilapidated and alleging that officers were not benefiting from several allowances enjoyed by workers in other government agencies.
He listed promotion, travel and transfer allowances among the benefits he claimed police officers were not receiving adequately.
Samson further alleged that he had received a police uniform only once since joining the force, claiming that the uniform was issued to him while he was undergoing training at the police college.
“I have, since over 23 years now, been given a uniform for once, which was when I was in the college. Ever since I graduated up to now, I’ve not been given another one,” he said.
He added that officers were expected to receive uniforms regularly but claimed that the practice was not reflected in his experience.
According to him, the money he uses to pay his children’s school fees also has to cover food, transportation, house rent and the cost of purchasing his uniform.
“The little money I have to pay my children’s school fees is where I feed myself, pay my transportation, pay house rent and buy my uniform. I cheat myself,” he said.
Samson questioned whether funds allocated by the Federal Government for police welfare were reaching the officers they were intended to support.
Says He Walks With His Children to Save Transport Costs
The inspector disclosed that his financial difficulties sometimes force him to walk long distances with his children because he cannot afford transportation.
He said the hardship had taken an emotional toll on him, making it increasingly difficult to cope with the demands of police service and family responsibilities.
He also revealed that he did not own a car despite his years in the force.
“Let me tell you the fact. I’m an inspector of police. In the next few months, I’ll be 24 years in service,” he said.
Samson further claimed that between 65 and 70 per cent of police officers retire or die without owning or driving a car. However, the figure was an allegation made during the interview and was not independently verified.
Raises Concerns Over Officers’ Operational Welfare
During the interview, Samson and his interviewer discussed the challenges faced by officers deployed to difficult assignments without adequate logistical support.
The interviewer recounted reports of personnel deployed to Bogu who allegedly spent nearly three weeks without food or allowances while operating in a dangerous environment.
According to the interviewer, the situation improved after a video highlighting the officers’ complaints circulated online, prompting the authorities to arrange transportation for them.
Samson argued that police officers should receive adequate support whenever they are deployed for official duties instead of being left to bear the financial burden themselves.
“The reality on the ground is that anytime you are going to work here, you are on your own,” he said.
He added that officers who return from assignments with complaints about their conditions are often left without support, while those who achieve operational successes are praised.
Denies Collecting Bribes From Motorists
Samson also addressed corruption allegations against police officers, acknowledging that some personnel collect money from motorists but insisting that he was not involved in such practices.
He expressed appreciation to private motorists, commercial drivers, motorcycle operators and tricycle riders, saying their support had helped police officers cope with inadequate welfare provisions.
“If not for them, I don’t know what policemen would have been doing for now. We wouldn’t have survived,” he said.
However, he maintained that he was not a corrupt officer and challenged anyone who had encountered him demanding a bribe to come forward.
“Though I don’t take money on the road, I’m not a corrupt officer. I’m a very noble officer,” he said.
The inspector’s appeal has drawn attention to his allegations concerning police welfare, including inadequate uniforms, accommodation challenges, financial hardship and the emotional pressure faced by officers struggling to provide for their families.
