A policeman has disclosed that his wife is taking part in End SARS protests.

In an interview with DAILY POST, he expressed sadness at the state of the Nigeria Police.

The citizen, a Sergeant, said he joined the Force in 2006.

He had his first child in 2017 and now has four kids.

The policeman recalled that his salary for a few years was N8,000 and later N12,000.

“I am not happy about the situation of this country. My wife is protesting. I cannot be there but when she told me she wanted to go, I didn’t stop her because the situation affects her.

“After 14 years in service, I am still collecting N64,000 per month. Not just me, others in my set too collect the same salary. It doesn’t cover anything. I have four kids, I am paying rent, school fees, feeding my family,” he said.

He revealed how officers pay for things the police should provide for them if the system was working.

“We buy our uniform, others can confirm this. My beret is N4,500; the buttons on the shirt is N3,000; the full Khaki is N8,000; you have to buy your rank logo N600; sewing is N3,000; Boot 18,000,” he added.

The Sergeant further decried how personnel are left to take care of expenses after postings to commands and formations.

“When they release posting, they don’t give us money. You are on your own, you bear all the costs. How will such a person not use the few days he has left to hustle. You must fend for yourself.

“Most times, they tell you to resume within 3 days to 1 week, without accommodation and financial assistance to relocate. The issues are too many. Do you know we go to buy the paper used for complaints at police stations? Paper!” He stated.

Asked to comment on welfare support for ailing and deceased officer, the policemen shook his head in regret.

“If any of us die, we usually make contributions to assist the family because they may not get anything for years. Imagine! Somebody that died serving his fatherland. We have seen cases where superiors demand for sex from the widows.”

The policeman expressed excitment that End SARS protesters include increment in Police salaries in their demands.

“It is very good and I am happy about it. At this point in Nigeria, nobody should get below N100,000 as monthly salary, the suffering is too much, prices of everything have gone up”, he complained.

The excesses of the notorious Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) has triggered unprecedented demonstrations across the country.

The campaign for police reform has gained global attention and coverage.

Now Day 9, thousands of youths are participating in rallies and have vowed to continue until all demands are met.

The five conditions are: Release of all arrested protesters; Justice for all victims of police brutality and appropriate compensation for their families; Establishment of an independent body to oversee the investigation and prosecution of accused officers.

The protesters want Psychological evaluation (to be confirmed by an independent body) of all disbanded SARS officers before redeployment, and Increment in Police salaries.

They believe officers must be adequately remunerated for protecting lives and property.

No fewer than 10 Nigerians have been killed since last Saturday.

https://dailypost.ng/2020/10/16/end-sars-my-wife-protesting-i-earn-n64000-bought-my-uniform-policeman/

The Senate on Wednesday at plenary directed its Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions to investigate complaints of Nigerians on illicit and excessive bank charges by commercial banks on customers’ accounts.

It also directed the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to look into the complaints of Nigerians and review the charges on their bank accounts.

The resolutions of Senate, were sequel to a motion by Sen. Abba Moro (PDP-Benue South) on urgent need to investigate and review illicit and excessive charges by Nigerian banks on customers’ accounts.

Moro, while presenting the motion, said there have been several complaints from Nigerians over illicit and excessive charges by commercial banks on their accounts.

He said that such charges and deductions ranged from bank Short Message Service (SMS) charges, intra-bank transfers charges in the sum of N52.50, Automated Teller Machines (ATM), card renewal charges, account maintenance charges in the sum of N93.13, among other charges.

He said that the charges had caused uproar within the public, as Nigerians felt the charges were fraudulent and targeted at further impoverishing them.

Moro said that Nigerians were worried as to what the money being deducted for the charges was for, as countries in overseas do not charge their customers in like manner.

He said that Nigerian banks in a bid to extort customers had set most of their ATM machines to dispense cash below the maximum of N40,000 that ATMs were programme to dispense per transaction.

“Thus, customers using ATMs do not have a choice than to withdraw much lagger amounts per transaction, thereby incurring additional cost of N65 per transaction after using ATM beyond three times.”

He also said that rather than banks giving out ATM cards stuck in their machines back to card holder, such cards were shredded into pieces and the card holder had to apply for another ATM card which attracted N1,000.

“We can imagine the number of Nigerians who have experienced their cards being stuck in the machine and having to pay N1,000 over again for re-issuance,” Abba said.

NAN

https://dailynigerian.com/senate-directs-investigation-into-alleged-excessive-bank-charges/