Bauchi Police Training School Denies Alleged N250,000 Extortion from Recruits

From Paul Orude Bauchi

The Bauchi State Police Command has denied media reports (Not Metoric Post) alleging that recruits at the Nigeria Police Force Training School in Yelwa, Bauchi, were being forced to pay N250,000 for uniforms, boots, and other training kits.

The reports, published by Sahara Reporters and Daily Trust, claimed that recruits complained of being compelled to pay exorbitant sums for items meant to be provided free of charge. A legal practitioner, Barrister Lawal Ishaq, was also quoted as raising alarm after a woman approached him for financial assistance for her son, who allegedly requested N250,000 to cover training items.

However, the Commandant of the Training School, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Abdullahi Umar Tambuwal, dismissed the claims as false.

> “If such occurrences exist, I am unaware of them. All trainees receive their uniforms and meals free of charge. We provide three square meals daily, and the uniforms are transported from Abuja to Bauchi and issued without payment,” he said.

Tambuwal further argued that with over 700 recruits currently in training, it would be “logically impossible” for such large-scale extortion to take place without detection.

In a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), CSP Ahmed Mohammed Wakil, the Command described the reports as misleading and unsubstantiated, insisting they were aimed at discrediting the institution and the Nigeria Police Force at large.

The statement stressed that under the leadership of Commissioner of Police CP Sani-Omolori Aliyu, psc(+), mni, the Bauchi Command has maintained a strict zero-tolerance stance against corruption and misconduct.

Nonetheless, the Commissioner of Police has set up an investigative panel to probe the allegations and assured that any officer found guilty of extortion would face appropriate disciplinary measures.

The Command also cautioned the public against spreading misinformation and urged media outlets to uphold professional standards in their reportage.