Police suspend officers for 'glorifying ill-gotten wealth' in viral video

The hammer of the Nigeria Police Force has fallen on two female police officers over their breach of the provisions of the Police Act, 2020, and the NPF guidelines for recruitment, promotion, and discipline of supernumerary police 2013.

The offence: The two suspended supernumerary officers, Blessing Obaze with SPY number 5709, and Emmanuella Obaze with SPY number 5708, were caught in some viral videos displaying "acts glorifying ill-gotten wealth and ill-morals," the police had said.

In a statement by its Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, on Friday, August 26, 2022, the Force noted that Blessing and Emmanuella had adorned themselves in conventional police officers’ uniforms contrary to the code regulating the SPY service.

He explained that one of them adorned the rank of Superintendent of Police which is contrary to extant laws.

The statement partly read: “They portrayed themselves in the viral video and other videos as undisciplined and unprofessional, in contravention of the Police Social Media Policy, with acts glorifying ill-gotten wealth and ill-morals, which has received wide condemnation from members of the public.”

IGP warns the public: Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, sternly warned that it's illegal and unwarranted for anyone to adorn themselves in police uniform as that's an exclusive preserve of bonafide officers of the Force.

The statement added: “The supernumerary police, by the combined effects of the Police Act, 2020 and the Nigeria police guidelines for recruitment, promotion, and discipline of supernumerary police,2013 was established solely to complement the services of regular police officers when needed by ministries, departments, agencies, multinational companies, and banks, who make requests and upon approval, pay for their training and cover their emoluments for the period of their engagement. (Sections 21-24 of the Police Act, 2020).

“It is equally important to mention that in line with Section 25 (2) (3) of the Police Act, 2020 and the Nigeria police guidelines for recruitment, promotion, the discipline of supernumerary police, 2013, issued by the IG, the mode of dressing for SPY police mandates its SPY officers above the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police not to wear uniforms.

“Similarly, extant laws delineate the supernumerary uniform. It states that they must be on their approved uniform, ash-colored shirt with ‘SPY’ inscriptions all over, over black with shoulder badge carrying the word ‘supernumerary’. Hence, supernumerary officers adorning police black, neon blue or camouflage uniforms run afoul of the law and would be adequately sanctioned.”