TheCable

Friday, April 20, is the extended deadline given by Ibrahim Idris, inspector-general of police (IGP), for the withdrawal of police officers attached to very important personalities (VIPs), political and public office holders in the country.

But as the deadline expires, the police has kept mum on whether the order is still in place or not.

Giving the directive on March 19, Idris said it had become expedient in view of the current security challenges in the country, and that it will also to enhance effective and efficient policing of the country.

The IGP’s order had come on the heels of the revelation of Mike Okiro, chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), that more than 150,000 policemen – out of a total workforce of about 400,000 officers – were attached to the VIPs and unauthourised persons in the country.

Those affected by the directive, according to the police IGP, also included business entrepreneurs, multinational companies as well as corporate individuals.

However, a few days after the order was given, the IGP extended the date for the withdrawal “to enable the force to carry out a thorough assessment of the current deployment and carry out appropriate withdrawal”.

A statement from Jimoh Moshood, police spokesman, had said while the new date is April 20, “members of the public, political and political office holders, including VIPs and other categories of enterprises and corporate individuals and other entities, are to retain the police officers currently with them on deployment.

“They (the VIPs among others) may be provided after the expiration of the period, if found worthy … but should apply for re-validation … before the expiration of the new date.”

When contacted on Thursday, Moshood promised to get back to TheCable on the matter. Calls made to his phone on Friday were unanswered while a message sent was also not replied.