After Fisayo Soyombo was grilled over the FIJ report, civil society organizations demanded more information about the police camp project

Connected Development (CODE), BudglT, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), and Enough is Enough Nigeria (EiE) are four civil society organizations (CSOs) that have asked Usman Baba, the Inspector-General of Police, to provide details of allocations for police transit camp projects.

This was stated in a letter signed by Hamzat Lawal, CODE’s chief executive, and addressed to the IGP on December 13, 2021.

The news comes just hours after Fisayo Soyombo, the founder of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), was interrogated at the Nigeria Police Force’s (NPF) Abuja headquarters.

The police interrogated Soyombo in response to a story published by FIJ alleging that there was “little or nothing” to show for the police camp project, which was approved in 2018 and was supposed to be completed in 14 weeks.

Read also: In 2022, ECOWAS Parliament set to achieve more mandate

In the letter, the CSOs requested that the IGP provide details on the project’s budgetary allocations, expenditures, and procurement processes.

They requested that the IGP “use your good office and leadership position in the Nigeria Police Force to compile and provide budgetary allocations, expenditures, contractors, procurement processes, and other details of the supply and installation of Police Transit Camp Buildings by the police Headquarters from 2018 to date.”

“We understand that the Nigeria Police Force receives annual budgetary allocations from both the federal and state governments to support their operations and welfare, which has a significant impact on the nation’s security,” the letter reads.

Advertisement
“Having noticed that the welfare of police officers appears to be grossly underfunded and has become a national concern despite the massive allocations to the security parastatal, it has become necessary to request these details.”

“The request is in accordance with Section 2 (4) of the Freedom of Information Act of 2011, which mandates that all information pertaining to the receipt or expenditure of public or other funds by institutions be widely disseminated and made readily available.”

“As required by the FOIA 2011, we would appreciate it if the requested information was provided to us within 7 days of receipt of this letter.”