Two female police officers have been suspended by the Nigeria Police Force for going against the provisions of the Police Act, 2020, and the NPF guidelines for recruitment, promotion, and discipline of supernumerary police 2013.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi who made this known in a statement on Friday, identified the two suspended supernumerary officers, Blessing Obaze with SPY number 5709, and Emmanuella Obaze with SPY number 5708.
While disclosing the reason for their suspension, the force said they had adorned themselves in conventional police officers’ uniforms contrary to the code regulating the SPY service.
Also, one of them was said to have adorned the rank of Superintendent of Police which contradicts the laws of the force.
According to the statement, “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.”
Meanwhile, the inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, has earned sternly against incessant use of police uniforms restricted to bonafide serving officers of the Force, describing it as illegal and unwarranted.
“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, multi-national 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.”