VIP security: Police to enforce presidential directive

The police have said they would soon commence the enforcement of the presidential directive on withdrawal of security personnel attached to Very Important Personalities who are not entitled to their services.

Police Inspector General, Solomon Arase

The police said they would deploy a high level monitoring team to the nation’s Airports, highways  and other public places to arrest policemen found with dignitaries who are not entitled to their services.

The Police Service Commission, in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja, said it had concluded arrangements  with  the Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase to enforce the presidential directive.

President Muhammadu Buhari had last week admonished the police leadership to withdraw police personnel attached to unauthorized persons.

The statement by the PSC spokesman, Ikechukwu Ani, said a monitoring team set up by the commission’s chairman, Chief Mike Okiro would have the powers to stop VIPs on the highways, Airports and other places for confirmation of their status and that of the policemen attached to them.

Any erring VIP or policeman caught in such unauthorized beat would be prosecuted, it quoted Okiro to have said.

“The PSC Chairman said the Commission and the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force will enforce the presidential directive to the letter; henceforth only authorised government officials and VIPs will be entitled to police security,” Okiro stated.

The retired Inspector-General of Police noted that the nation cannot be battling with an inadequate police  Force while majority of its scarce officers are in the service of few privileged Nigerians who ordinarily should have no need for them.

He said the Nigeria Police would now be structured to carry out its primary duties of providing internal security and protecting lives and property, adding that the PSC would give the leadership of the police the required support and encouragement to enhance its efficiency and effectiveness.

He warned that the Commission would not hesitate to discipline any police officer who flouted the presidential directive by “hanging onto these VIPs for pecuniary gains; we cannot afford to have more than half of the population of the police in private hands.”

VIP security: Police to enforce presidential directive