Some personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Oyo State have accused their State Commandant, Augustine Padonu, of imposing compulsory financial contributions on personnel for his birthday and church harvest, with some officers allegedly paying up to ₦50,000.
Whistleblowers within the command revealed that personnel are being forced to make mandatory financial contributions to fund the commandant’s personal birthday celebrations and his annual church harvest at his white garment church in Badagry, Lagos State.
According to serving officers who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the scheme has been in place since the commandant was posted to the state in January 2024. The operation is strictly coordinated by a designated “Beat Coordinator,” Superintendent of Corps (SC) Adeeyo Oluremi Babatunde. Officers are reportedly taxed between N1,000 and N50,000, depending on how lucrative their assigned beat is perceived to be.
“The name of the Beat Coordinator is SC Adeeyo Oluremi Babatunde. He is holding a unit which we call Beat Coordinator for all our beats out there,” one source explained. “He’s coordinating it.”
Documents and WhatsApp messages obtained show a meticulous list of 58 officers and their contributions, totalling N616,000. The pressure to pay has reportedly intensified over time. After the commandant allegedly rejected an initial N1,000 contribution as insufficient, a new mandate was issued demanding N5,000 from every officer. There were also threats to deduct the money directly from their monthly allowances if they failed to comply.
SEE ALSO: IPOB Accuses Nigerian Judiciary of ‘Judicial Banditry’ and Demands Nnamdi Kanu’s Release
When contacted for comment, SC Adeeyo defended the deductions, dismissing the claims of extortion as mere complaints from ungrateful staff.
“I think that matter is none of your business,” SC Adeeyo stated. “In every organisation, there’s what they call welfare. You can run a welfare to your boss. It depends on how loyal you are to him.”
He further argued that the money was a necessary sacrifice for career growth within the agency, adding, “It’s not extortion as they put it. It’s something that we do for us to grow in the course of the job. People are doing more than that. So, I don’t know why they are complaining about just ordinary common N5,000.”
However, whistleblowers describe an atmosphere of fear and intimidation within the Oyo State Command. Officers who dare to speak out reportedly risk immediate transfer to harsh locations or face fabricated accusations to silence them.
These allegations raise serious questions about discipline, welfare, and accountability within the agency. They paint a troubling picture of a command structure where junior officers are routinely taxed by their superiors to fund personal lifestyles, undermining the very security the corps is meant to provide.
Promise Idoko is Junior Reporter working with moderncrux He covers global politics and international affairs. Based in Nigeria,
