Ig Withdraws PoliceEscorts From Individuals,Firms«

Acting Inspector-General
of Police, Mohammed
Abubakar, has ordered the
withdrawal of all
approved police escort
from private individuals
and corporate bodies
across the country.
The affected personnel
include those from Special
Protection Unit, the Mobile
Police Force and
conventional policemen
posted as guards to
companies and
individuals.
Abubakar also directed
that all intra-state and
highway checkpoints
which he said constituted
nuisance on the roads of
Lagos, Edo and South-
Eastern states be
dismantled and collapsed
and brought them under
the original structures
recognised by police
standards.
The acting IGP said in a
statement in Abuja on
Monday that the directive
was aimed at restoring
professionalism, efficiency
and integrity in the
performance of all police
duties, adding that the
withdrawal would ensure
service delivery to the
people.
Over 100, 000 policemen
were believed to be
attached to individuals
and corporate
organisations as guards.
Abubakar's predecessors
had issued the same
directives on assuming
office, but the orders were
never obeyed as
policemen remained on
guard duty for firms and
politicians.
By law, only the President,
Vice-President, state
governors, local council
chairmen, magistrates and
judges were entitled to
police guards.
However, the privilege
had been abused by senior
police officers in charge of
police commands and
formations who assign
junior officers to
individual.
While addressing Assistant
Commissioners of Police in
charge of operations and
Criminal Investigation
Departments of all zonal
and state commands in
Abuja, Abubakar
emphasised the need to
restore professionalism
and integrity to all police
duties.
He stated that every policy
statement would be
pursued with all
seriousness, adding that
the time for rhetorics was
gone.
He ordered the immediate
release of all persons
detained in police cells
without lawful jurisdiction
and reiterated his directive
that no person should be
detained beyond 24 hours,
except otherwise
permitted by law.
He said, "All squads, teams
or any other investigating
outfit operating under
whatever name are
hereby dismantled with
immediate effect and they
are to be under the
original structures
recognised by police
standards.
"All intra-state and
highway road blocks
which constitute nuisance
especially on the roads of
Lagos, Edo and South-
Eastern states should also
be dismantled
immediately."