The Nigeria Police Force has clarified its position on providing security details to VIPs legally entitled to such services.
In a statement issued on Thursday by the Force’s spokesman, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, it was emphasized that the Police Force did not intend to remove security details from VIPs with legal and statutory entitlement to such services.
The statement further clarified that individuals requiring specialised police escorts will continue to receive the service through other units within the Force, such as the Special Protection Unit.
However, individuals not meeting the legal criteria for VIP security details will undergo a strict screening process, with their applications thoroughly assessed if necessary.
The clarification sought to dispel misunderstandings and highlighted that the withdrawal of Police Mobile Force personnel should not be misconstrued as a blanket ban on all Police Officers providing VIP escort services. The directive is specific to PMF personnel, who are just one unit within the broader Police Force.
He said, ” We understand that there has been some misunderstanding regarding the directive of IGP Kayode Egbetokun, about withdrawing members of the Police Mobile Force Unit from Specialised Escort and Guard Services for VIPs. It’s crucial to provide clarifications to address this.
“First and foremost, let us be clear: at no point did the Force intend to strip VIPs (legally and statutorily entitled to police escorts) of their security details. Doing so would be unsafe and counterproductive. Instead, the objective is to reassign the withdrawn PMF personnel to the recently established Special Intervention Squad.