Following the delay by about 60 prominent Nigerians and corporate entities to release Special Police operatives including Mobile Police personnel and Counter-Terrorism Unit attached to them, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Mohammed Adamu has activated the order for the immediate withdrawal of police personnel.
Senior police sources disclosed that a signal to this effect with reference no.CB: 4001/IGP.SEC/ABJ/VOL.116/32 dated November 4, and signed by the Principal Staff Officer (PSO) to the IGP, DCP Idowu Owohunwa, directed the COMPOL MOPOL, CP Special Protection Force Unit (SPU) and all Commissioners of Police in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to heed the IGP’s directive immediately.
The letter titled, ‘Immediate withdrawal of police personnel attached to unentitled corporate entities/individuals,’ said, “The attention of the IGP has been drawn to the fact that the police personnel attached to the corporate bodies and personalities are yet to be withdrawn despite extant directives to that effect.
“In line with the subsisting order, the IG directs that you withdraw all the PMF, SPU, CTU, or conventional police operatives attached to the affected companies or individuals in any of their locations across the country with immediate effect.”
The IG also directed the senior officers to submit a report confirming compliance not later than November 10.
It was gathered that one of the reasons for the withdrawal followed the mopping of hundreds of Police personnel and their subsequent deployment to Police Tactical Training Institutions in Osun and Nasarawa states for training to become new SWAT operatives.
Moreover, it was revealed that while scores of Nigerians are currently experiencing an increase in activities of criminal elements as an aftermath of the #EndSARS protests, with several Police officers nowhere to be seen, some of these individuals and the corporate organisation has as much as five or several Police officers attached to the.
The signal listed some of the 60 prominent citizens and corporate organizations to include a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal; Senator Lado Yakubu, Amb. Yuguda Bashir, Oil magnate, Chief Emeka Offor, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi, Chief Pius Akinyelure and Senator Ajayi Borofice.
Also included in the list are Chief Uche Chukwu, Mr Mutiu Nicholas, Chief Edozie Madu, David Adesanya, Barr. Chris Giwa and Chief Godwin Ekpo.
Among the religious and corporate organizations are Christ Embassy, Think Nigeria First Initiative, Uche Sylva International, Stanel Groups, KYC Holding.
It would be recalled that the Force headquarters had in a Police Wireless message dated October 21, 2020, addressed to all Command CPs, ordered them to immediately withdraw the personnel attached to individuals, warning that “any commander who violates this order will bear the consequences.”
It observed that many dignitaries were still going around with the country with their police security despite the wireless message urging the withdrawal of the personnel by the IGP during the #EndSARS protests.
