The Area Commander claimed that his refusal to participate in an illegal “kickback” scheme led to the withholding of his funds.
The Area Commander of Benisheikh in Borno State, ACP Alex Sani Gwazah, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP) over the alleged conversion and withholding of his ₦500,000 operational allowance by the state Commissioner of Police, CP Naziru Abdulmajid.
In the petition dated March 2, 2026, exclusively obtained by SaharaReporters on Wednesday, Gwazah alleged that the CP, in connivance with certain politicians and accounts section staff members, refused to pay his January and February 2026 allowances.
The funds were part of a special intervention graciously provided by the Borno State Government for officers of the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police and above, according to the petitioner.
The Area Commander claimed that his refusal to participate in an illegal “kickback” scheme led to the withholding of his funds.
Titled: ‘Deliberate/omission and conversion of my January/February 2026 N500,000.00 allowance from Borno State Government by the Commissioner of Police Borno Police Command, CP. Naziru Abdulmajid and Others,’ the ACP described the action of the Commissioner as “marginalization”.
The petition partly read: “The Commissioner of Police Borno Command have (sic) with the connivance of some Politicians and Staff of the Account Section refused to submit and pay my January/February 2026 allowances, graciously given to ACPs and above by the Borno State Government. This allowance is used for Operational and Administrative purposes.
“Now that the Commissioner of Police have (sic) withheld the fund, it has exposed me and my Personnel to the Insurgents attack. Benisheik and its axis are the main theater of terrorism attacks in Borno State.
“The reasons for withholding my allowances stems from the fact that:- My refusal to remit the sum of 30,000 (naira). Other Officers are contributing grudgingly. The threat is that any officer who refuses to contribute will be sanctioned and name removed.”
He further alleged that the lack of these administrative and operational funds has exposed his personnel to attacks by insurgents, noting that the Benisheikh axis remains a “main theater of terrorism attacks” in the state.
Gwazah also raised the alarm over the illegal posting of Police Inspectors in mufti to serve as orderlies to local government chairmen in Magumeri and Konduga.
He maintained that under police regulations, LG chairmen are not entitled to Inspectors as orderlies. He alleged that his refusal to allow these irregularities led to a report against him and the subsequent removal of the DPO in Magumeri.
“The issue of posting Inspectors in mufti in Magumeri and Konduga Local Government Chairmen. Local Government Chairmen are not entitled to Inspectors of Police of the Nigerian Police Force as Orderlies. The Local Government Chairman of Magumeri reported me and the DPO Magumeri which led to the removal of the DPO,” Gwazah stated in the letter.
The petitioner, an indigene of Kaduna State who enlisted in the Force in May 1992, highlighted his extensive professional background, including international duties with the United Nations in Kosovo and Liberia, as well as the African Union Mission in Somalia.
He urged the IGP to intervene and compel the CP to release the withheld funds and cease the intimidation against him.
The petition was also copied to the Governor of Borno State.
Efforts by SaharaReporters to obtain a response from the Borno State Police Command regarding the allegations were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
