Wednesday, January 04, 2017
NIGERIAN police officers, who served as part of the Formed Police Unit (FPU) in Somalia, are still expecting payment of their salaries and allowances after ending their one year duty tour in the country.
The officers, who were engaged by the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), were scheduled to be paid by the European Union (EU).
The salaries and allowances of the officers, who were instrumental to the recruiting and training of the newly formed Somalia Police Force, “are now delayed”.
No fewer than 136 members of the FPU participated in the medal parade to mark the end of their duty tour in the troubled country.
The inability of the officers to get their pay resulted in many of them begging to buy basic needs.But the situation never demoralised them.
“Things were tough, we were not paid any money. But we ensured it did not affect our work. We were voted the best FPU here in Somalia and you could see the impact of our officers in this country, especially in the formation of the Somalia Police Force,” one of the officers told The Nation.
Other countries like Burundi and Uganda affected by the non-payment of salaries have already indicated to AMISOM of their intention to withdraw their personnel from the war-torn country.
At the Passing Out Parade, the Nigerian officers were awarded medals at the ceremony presided over by the Deputy Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (DSRCC) in Somalia Lydia Wanyoto and Police Commissioner of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) Anand Pillay.
Somali Police Commissioner Gen. Mohamed Sheikh Hassan Hamud attended the event with a delegation of Somali officials.
Wanyoto thanked the Nigerian government for supporting the peace process in Somalia by deploying members of its police.
She thanked Somali security forces at the ceremony for recognising the contribution of the Nigerian police unit.
“I want to thank you for the services you have provided. Thank you for being here in Somalia, for volunteering to assist the people in Somalia,” AMISOM Police Commissioner Anand Pillay said.
The Somali Police Commissioner thanked the Nigerian police contingent for their contribution to the restoration of law and order in the country.
“You have been good ambassadors. Somalia will not forget Nigeria standing side-by-side with Somali people and the Federal Government,” Gen. Hamud said.
The police contingent was the fifth Formed Police Unit from Nigeria to serve in Somalia under AMISOM.