NPF Sports Levy: ‘Publication Mischievous, Attempt To Rubbish Police Integrity’

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has dismissed reports that it deducted a sports levy from its officers, stressing that the publication is mischievous and a calculated attempt to rubbish the age-long tradition and integrity of the police.

Naija News recalls that an online platform had released a publication where some officers of the police force allegedly complained of extortion of millions of naira from their salaries for the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

According to these officers, the deductions from their June salaries which ranged between N500 to N5000 were termed the IGP’s sports levy.

Some of the officers allegedly claimed that the amount ranged from rank, and the money is a lot because of the population of officers involved.

In an internal signal by the police authorities, the officers were asked to sacrifice N500 to N5000 as IGP’s sports levy depending on the rank.

But reacting in a swift statement on Monday night, Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, stated that the claims made by the report are baseless and misleading.

He stated that the deduction credited to the new Acting IGP was approved some months before his appointment.

His statement reads: “Following the recent spread of disinformation with regards to the NPF sports levy deduction by some sections of the media, the Nigeria Police Force vehemently wishes to clarify that these claims are baseless and misleading, calculated to deceive the public and rubbish the integrity of the Force.

“In as much as the Force does not intend to dignify the unprofessionalism and falsehood of the media outlets, it has however become rife to correct the baseless and misleading news publication aimed at maligning the person and integrity of the Acting Inspector General of Police, IGP Olukayode Adeolu Egbetokun, PhD., NPM, with regards to the Police Annual Sports Levy deduction.

“The Nigeria Police Force Sports is primarily funded by an annual deduction which has been in force from time immemorial, and it was consolidated in the year 2003, and reviewed by the management of the Force in the year 2012. More so, the deduction credited to the new Acting IGP was approved some months before his appointment.

“Attempting to sensationalize this longstanding annual practice and personalizing it to the current Inspector General of Police is not only mischievous but a disservice to the above stated facts. It is evident that the purveyors of this disinformation are poised to mislead the public by distorting the truth and creating unnecessary mischief.

“The Force, therefore, strongly urges the public and media outlets to verify information and desist from spreading baseless claims calculated at tarnishing the image of the Nigeria Police Force while encouraging well-meaning Nigerians to discountenance the malicious publication.”