Federal Government of Nigeria has withdrawn the Mobile Police Force personnel attached to several Very Important Persons, including ex-governors, former ministers and lawmakers.
The order, which was contained in a police wireless message from Mopol 45 Force Headquarters, Abuja, affected Daura Buhari, brother to former President Muhammadu Buhari as well as former First Lady, Aisha Buhari’s sibling and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.
The development came a few weeks after the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Olukayode Egbetokun, vowed to withdraw Police Mobile Force personnel from VIP escort and guard duties.
The IGP had also announced plans to establish the Special Intervention Squad, which according to him, would have 40,000 highly trained police officers including selected officers from the Police Mobile Force to allow the police to take back its place in the “internal security architecture” of the country.
Egbetokun set up a committee headed by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Operations), Adeleke Bode, to assess and advise on how the new policies could be implemented seamlessly.
Statutorily, only the president, vice president, governors, local council chairmen, legislative principal officers in the states and at federal level, magistrates and judges are entitled to police protection.
But this privilege has over the years been extended to just about anybody who can pay, leaving ever fewer personnel for real police work.
However, the Force headquarters in its order with reference CB: 4001/DOPS/45PMF/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.15/353 signed by the AIG MOPOL, directed the addressees to implement the directive with immediate effect.
The order read in part, “You are directed to withdraw all personnel to the under-listed politicians: Former governor of Imo state, Ikedi Ohakim; former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; former governor of Bauchi, Adamu Muazu; former governor of Imo, Rochas Okorocha; former governor of Gombe State, Danjuma Goje; former governor of Ogun, Gbenga Daniel; former governor of Zamfara, Bello Matawalle; former Minister of Police Affairs, Maigari Dingyadi; former Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipreye Sylva; former Clerk of the National Assembly; Aisha Buhari brother; Daura, brother to the former president Buhari ; APC National women leader; former Minister of State for Mines and Steel; former Chairman Senate Committee on Police Affairs, Haliru Dauda; former Minister of State for Science, Technology and Innovation; former Minister of State for Power; National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Iyocha Ayu; former Chairman House Committee on Police Affairs, Rabiu Lawan; Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba and former Senator Stephen Adey. Treat as very important.”