October 1, 2025
NSCDC

By Gbolahan Salman
Disquiet has gripped the Kogi State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) following allegations by some personnel that the leadership of the command is attempting to extort money from officers under the guise of a verification exercise.
Several aggrieved officers, who spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity, alleged that each operative is being compelled to pay a mandatory sum of ₦4,000 before being allowed to undergo the proposed verification.
The officers described the demand as unjustifiable and exploitative, insisting that the exercise ought to be fully funded by the government.
 “The command asked us to pay ₦4,000 each before we can be verified. Imagine over 3,000 personnel paying ₦4,000 each. This is an exercise we all know should already have been budgeted for, with allowances due to the officials conducting it,” one officer alleged.
“We regard such a demand as extortion. It is unfortunate that our leaders have chosen to rip us off. How can anyone explain that government asked personnel to pay money just to be verified?” another officer queried.
They further warned that such practices could demoralise officers at a time when security agencies are grappling with rising threats across the country.
When contacted, the spokesman of the command, DSC Aliyu Abdullah, said he was not aware of any such directive. He denied knowledge of any ongoing verification exercise but promised to get back to our correspondent. However, as at the time of filing this report, no further response had been received.
The allegations have sparked concerns among security observers and civil society groups, who argue that any financial demand outside official approval amounts to illegal extortion. They have called on the NSCDC national headquarters in Abuja to urgently investigate the claims and ensure personnel are not unduly exploited.

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