Police dismiss report on withdrawal of mopol officers attached to VIPs

The Nigerian Police Force (NPF) has debunked the report regarding the withdrawal of Police Mobile Force (PMF) officers attached to prominent individuals, including Mrs Aisha Buhari, wife of former President Muhammadu Buhari, and his brother, Mallam Mamman Daura.

In a signal that purportedly emanated from MOPOL 45 FHQ ABJ, it was stated that the NPC ordered the removal of mopol officers attached to some former governors, Boss Mustapha, the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and Iyorchia Ayu, former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Other politicians and personalities allegedly affected by the purported order include Governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim, former Governor of Bauchi State, Adamu Muazu, former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, former governor of Gombe State, Danjuma Goje, former governor of Ogun State, Gbenga Daniel, former governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, former Minister of Police Affairs, Maigari Dingyadi, former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Silva, and many others.

However, the NPF in a statement on Monday, July 17, 2023, has dismissed the signal describing it as fake. The force added that the signal did not emanate from the NPF or any of its formations.

In the statement signed by the force Public Relations officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the police said the fake signal deviates from the Police’s telegraphic message structure and standard as it bears the signature of a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), instead of the signature of an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP).

The statement reads in part, "The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) wishes to address the ambiguity surrounding a signal that has been in circulation on social media, purportedly originating from MOPOL 45 FHQ ABJ, ordering the removal of police aides from certain top politicians and their relatives. The Police hereby unequivocally clarifies that the signal is fake and did not emanate from the NPF or any of its formations.

"More emphatically, the signal deviates from the Police’s telegraphic message structure and standard as the signal bears the signature of a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), which is highly irregular, as a signal of this nature would typically be signed by an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), who heads such formations, and not a higher-ranking officer."

However, the Acting Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, is said to have ordered a thorough investigation into the source of the signal and assured that appropriate action would be taken against those responsible for its creation and dissemination.