Some personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Oyo State Command, have accused the State Commandant, Augustine Padonu, of systemic extortion and imposing compulsory financial levies on officers deployed across various beats in the state. According to serving officers who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the commandant conducts the extortion scheme through a designated "Beat Coordinator," Superintendent of Corps (SC) Adeeyo Oluremi Babatunde.
The officers revealed that the commandant, who was posted to the Oyo State Command in January 2024, has institutionalised a culture of forced contributions, with officers taxed between N1000 and N50,000 depending on their beat's perceived affluence. Whistleblowers within the command revealed that the extortions are disguised as mandatory contributions for Commandant Padonu’s personal birthday celebrations and annual church harvest at his church in Badagry, Lagos State.
At the centre of the alleged extortion is Superintendent of Corps (SC) Adeeyo Oluremi Babatunde, who was appointed "Beat Coordinator" by Commandant Padonu. Babatunde allegedly serves as the principal conduit for collecting the forced contributions from beat officers. According to the whistleblower, Babatunde coordinates all beats across Oyo State and ensures compliance with the contribution demands.
SaharaReporters obtained a WhatsApp message posted on a platform created by SC Adeeyo Oluremi Babatunde, titled "CONTRIBUTION FOR COMMANDANTS CHURCH HARVEST AND COMMANDANT BIRTHDAY," which lists the names of 58 officers and their respective contributions, totalling N616,000. The contributions, paid into a Palmpay account registered to ADEEYO OLUREMI, ranged from N1,000 to N50,000, with beat locations such as Aklad, Pan Africa, and mining sites across Oyo State.
In another WhatsApp message obtained by SaharaReporters, SC Adeeyo informed beat leaders that the commandant had rejected the initial contributions and mandated an increased sum of N5,000 per officer, to be deducted directly from their allowances. The message instructed: "Please kindly inform your men at the beat." The whistleblower told SaharaReporters that the commandant's demand for N5,000 per officer was a significant increase from the previous N1000.
The whistleblower described the atmosphere within the Oyo State Command as one of fear and intimidation, where officers who dare to speak out are immediately transferred or faced with fabricated accusations. "We're all suffering, suffering and smiling. I'm an arms bearer, I was trained, and to God be the glory, today I'm still in active service," he said.
The alleged extortion scheme has been running since Commandant Padonu assumed office, with contributions demanded for the commandant's birthday and the church harvest of his white garment church in Badagry, Lagos State. The officers have expressed concerns about the impact of the extortion on their welfare and the overall performance of the command.
Key points
- NSCDC Oyo State Command officers accuse Commandant Augustine Padonu of extorting money for personal events.
- The extortion scheme involves forced contributions ranging from N1000 to N50,000 from officers.
- The alleged scheme has created a culture of fear and intimidation within the command.
