For those who genuinely require specialised police escorts, this vital service will continue to be provided by other units of the Force, Adejobi said.
By Jeffrey Agbo
Spokesman of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Olumuyiwa Adejobi, has debunked claims that the Force plans to remove escorts from VIPs with legal and statutory entitlement to such services.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Adejobi clarified that individuals requiring specialised police escorts would 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.
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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 Instead, the objective is to reassign the withdrawn PMF personnel to the recently established Special Intervention Squad.
“For those who genuinely require specialized Police escorts, this vital service will continue to be provided by other units of the Force, such as the Special Protection Unit. However, individuals who do not fall within and enjoy the legal framework for such security details would strictly be screened, and their applications thoroughly assessed for consideration, if necessary.
“To eliminate misunderstandings, it’s crucial to clarify that the withdrawal of Police Mobile Force personnel does not equate to a blanket ban on all police officers from providing VIP escort services. This withdrawal pertains specifically to PMF personnel, who are just one unit within the broader Police Force.
“We encourage everyone to read the full contents of our press statements rather than giving headlines whimsical meanings and spreading distorted information. For a comprehensive understanding of this matter, we strongly recommend you peruse our press releases dated June 29, 2023, July 10, 2023, and July 23, 2023. These statements provide a clear and accurate perspective on this directive.”
