By SUNTV Global Channel | June 8, 2026
A fresh controversy has erupted within the Nigeria Police Force as officers attached to Mobile Police (MOPOL) and Operations Units deployed to protect oil and gas facilities in Rivers State have accused their commanders of widespread extortion and abuse of office.
The affected officers, currently serving under special duty assignments at TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Limited in Port Harcourt, have appealed to the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and senior police authorities to urgently investigate what they describe as an organized system of financial exploitation targeting personnel on high-risk assignments.
According to multiple officers who spoke under anonymity, management of TotalEnergies recently approved an upward review of their special duty allowance, increasing payments to ₦220,000 per month after years of complaints over poor welfare.
However, the officers alleged that shortly after the allowance was paid, commanders overseeing the various police squadrons attached to the company ordered every operative to surrender ₦70,000 as a mandatory monthly kickback.
The officers claimed that failure to comply could result in removal from the lucrative deployment, leaving many with no option but to pay under pressure.
“We paid because we had no choice, but this is unfair. We also have families to care for,” one officer said.
The personnel further alleged that some senior commanders are included on the company’s security payroll and receive field allowances despite not participating in operational duties, a situation they claim may be unknown to the oil company.
Beyond the alleged financial exploitation, the officers described their welfare conditions as poor and degrading. They complained of inadequate healthcare support, lack of overtime benefits, and poor feeding arrangements while carrying out dangerous assignments protecting critical national assets.
The officers are demanding the immediate investigation and possible redeployment of commanders overseeing the special duty operations.
They also alleged that similar practices occur in deployments involving several Chinese companies operating across Nigeria. According to the officers, some companies reportedly pay substantial security allowances through police administrative channels, while personnel on the ground receive only a fraction of the funds.
The officers warned that continued neglect of their welfare could negatively affect morale among personnel responsible for securing vital economic infrastructure across the country.
Meanwhile, efforts to obtain an official response from the Force Headquarters were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report, as police spokespersons had not publicly commented on the allegations.
The officers are now calling for transparency, accountability, and reforms within the police special duty deployment system to ensure that benefits meant for frontline personnel reach the intended beneficiaries.
SUNTV Global Channel will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as further developments emerge.
