Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Fresh turmoil has engulfed the Nigeria Police Force following the mass transfer of 695 officers from the Zone 2 Headquarters in Lagos to various commands across the country, an exercise that has left many affected personnel and their families in acute distress amid allegations of inadequate welfare support, lack of equipment, and the non-payment of outstanding allowances. The mass redeployment, carried out under the watch of the newly appointed Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 2, AIG Olohundare Moshood Jimoh, has triggered an unprecedented wave of internal grievance. The internal document listing the transfers, obtained exclusively by Saharareporters, includes the names of officers such as Ngozi Isintume-Agu, Uba B. Adams, Yusuff Waliu B., Aminu Ahmed Goni, and dozens of others, many of whom now face the prospect of sudden relocation without the requisite institutional support.
The situation has become emblematic of the chronic welfare deficits that plague the rank and file of the Nigeria Police Force. A source familiar with the development told Saharareporters that the mass redeployment has left several officers and their families in distress, particularly those with heavy personal responsibilities. The source highlighted the case of a female officer, a single mother of four boys, who is among those affected. Her relative, Oluwaseun Ajireloja, made a desperate appeal for urgent intervention, seeking a reconsideration of her posting to ease the burden on her family. “Given the circumstances with my cousin and her children, I am seeking your assistance with her transfer to another state,” Ajireloja was quoted as saying. Beyond the immediate hardship caused by the transfers, the source also alleged lingering financial injustices dating back to the tenure of the former Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, who served from 2023 to 2025. “The previous IG of Police had a number of officers promoted during his tenure, but they were not paid their arrears and allowances due to corruption,” the source alleged. “Many policemen have suffered much, as have their families.”
The controversy surrounding the transfers is inextricably linked to the recent appointment of AIG Jimoh to head Zone 2 Command, a strategic formation that oversees police operations in both Lagos and Ogun states. Jimoh assumed duty on March 30, 2026, following his promotion from Commissioner of Police in Lagos State to the rank of Assistant Inspector-General. The posting, which was part of a nationwide redeployment of senior officers approved by Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu, was initially met with cautious optimism. In his inaugural address, AIG Jimoh pledged zero tolerance for corruption, human rights violations, and unprofessional conduct among officers under his command. The Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) had also commended his appointment, describing him as an officer whose competence aligns perfectly with the demands of policing in Zone 2. However, critics and human rights activists, including Omoyele Sowore, had called for his removal, citing past allegations of rights abuses during his tenure as Lagos CP. These concerns were amplified by the Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice (CHSR), which warned that Jimoh’s appointment could undermine public trust and expose the police force to further allegations of misconduct.
The internal police document listing the 695 affected officers suggests a sweeping and indiscriminate application of transfer powers. Among the listed names are officers from diverse ranks and units, including Ngozi Isintume-Agu, Bamgbose Abiodun, Ajayi B. Ebenezer, Ibitokunmo O. Olufemi, Akpama Eku Ayitu, Onyeisi C. Nwadiali, Samuel Nkem Obiazikwor, Elizabeth C. Eze-Obi, Ogbo Paul Ejiofor, and Popoola Kate Adewae, among many others. The scale of the redeployment has raised fundamental questions about the criteria used for the transfers. Affected officers argue that the postings appear to disregard personal circumstances, family ties, and the financial implications of relocation. The case of the single mother of four has become a rallying point for critics who accuse the police leadership of insensitivity. Security analyst and lawyer Pelumi Olajengbesi, in a recent interview with Businessday NG, called for a comprehensive review of police welfare, noting that many officers struggle to meet basic needs and that delays in the payment of allowances often dampen motivation among personnel deployed to high-risk assignments.
The issue of unpaid allowances is not new to the Nigeria Police Force. In a related development, the Federal Government had approved a pay rise for police personnel, with the Police Affairs Minister, Maigari Dingyadi, announcing that the allowance would increase officers’ take-home pay by 20 percent of their present earnings. The implementation of this increment, effective from July 2022, was intended to address long-standing grievances over remuneration. However, a separate report by SaharaReporters indicated that the implementation had been fraught with delays, and in some cases, newly promoted inspectors were reportedly asked to pay a fee of N10,000 each before they could be decorated with their new rank. The current transfers have now added another layer of grievance, as officers transferred to new commands are expected to cover their relocation costs and secure new accommodation without the necessary allowances. The Nigeria Police Force, in a statement reacting to previous reports of welfare issues, had clarified that the payment of palliatives is a Federal Government initiative and that the Inspector-General of Police has no direct control over the process. However, this explanation has done little to placate the affected officers, who argue that the force bears the primary responsibility for ensuring that transfers are accompanied by adequate logistical support.
The mass transfer also comes at a time when the IGP is implementing far-reaching reforms. IGP Disu, who assumed office in 2025, has proposed a 60-month phased implementation roadmap for the decentralisation of policing, including the establishment of state police. He has also disbanded tactical units nationwide and ordered the restructuring of police squads at state commands. However, the current crisis suggests that the human cost of these administrative changes is being borne by the most vulnerable members of the force. As the list of 695 officers circulates internally, and as the appeals for reconsideration pile up at the Zone 2 headquarters, the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force faces a critical test. The resolution of this crisis will require not only a review of the transfers but also a commitment to clearing the backlog of unpaid allowances and providing adequate welfare support. Until then, the officers and their families remain trapped in a state of uncertainty, their sacrifices seemingly forgotten by the very institution they have sworn to protect.
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