Recruits Frustrated Over Unpaid Allowances
The recruits who started their service last year have expressed frustration over the National Intelligence Service’s (NIS) failure to fulfill its financial obligations during their training.
In January 2023, the NIS announced recruitment opportunities, drawing thousands of applicants eager to join the agency. By August 2023, successful candidates began a six-month short service program, which included camping and rigorous training.
NIS spokesperson Kenneth Udo explained that the training aimed to prepare recruits for the demands of law enforcement, with a promise of a monthly allowance during their camp stay.
Allegations of Unpaid Allowances
However, tensions rose when recruits reported that they had not received the promised allowances. One recruit from Ogun State revealed that while they began receiving their regular salary in March 2024, the six-month camp allowance remained unpaid.
“We expected payment after the six-month period, including our induction and training phases,” the Ogun-based recruit said. “Despite completing the training, we haven’t received the camp allowance.”
A recruit in Abuja confirmed similar concerns, stating that they were supposed to receive training allowances for both the first and last three months of camp, but those payments were not made.
NIS Response
In response, NIS spokesperson Kenneth Udo acknowledged the issue, attributing the delay to backlogs from the previous administration. He assured that efforts were being made to resolve the problem, with the NIS Comptroller General (CG) personally involved.
“The issue isn’t with allowances but with salaries, inherited from the previous regime. We are working with the Office of the Accountant General and the Budget Office to address it,” Udo stated.
Udo apologized for the inconvenience and promised that the recruits would receive their payments soon. Despite these assurances, many recruits remain skeptical and frustrated, particularly given Nigeria’s broader economic challenges. The situation underscores systemic issues arising from administrative lapses affecting new civil service members.
The recruits await prompt resolution as the NIS works to address the backlog of unpaid allowances.
