The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has revealed that the assent of President Muhammadu Buhari is required before policemen on special protection duties across the country can be finally withdrawn.
Recall that the police boss on Monday ordered the immediate withdrawal of policemen protecting Very Important Personalities and companies across the nation.
In a meeting he held with Squadron, Counter Terrorism Unit, CTU, Special Protection Unit, SPU and Commanders at the Force Headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, Idris disclosed that the assent of the president would ensure that the withdrawal order would take off on a sure footing.
He said, “We are trying to seek the permission of the Commander in Chief before we conduct this withdrawal because it is going to be a massive withdrawal all over the country.
“Of course you know the sentiment of people, whenever you take such actions, there would be lots of complaints. So, we are going to do it in a sound footing to make sure that once we withdraw people, they are not taken back.
“The Squadron and Commanders of PMF, CTU and PMF will sign an undertaken and any violation of those directives is going to be met with strict disciplinary action.”
Idris described as “alarming” the rate at which attack on policemen on special protection duties were succeeding.
He said it showed that such policemen were poorly trained and engaging in unprofessional conducts.
Idris said, “Attack on police personnel who are on official duties is quite worrisome.
“The rate at which personnel on special duties are killed and weapons carted away is alarming.
“These incidences are due to lack of supervision, and unprofessional conducts by the men.
“They don’t have the training and therefore they don’t know what to do in the event of an attack.
“They are never at alert and tend to forget themselves in the environment they operate. This attitude must be checked and solution must be found.”