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IGP withdraws police officers from EFCC

The acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba Alkali, has ordered the withdrawal of senior police officers serving at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC). 

The IGP made the order in a letter dated April 15, 2021, and signed by acting commissioner of police, Idowu Omohunwa, who is also the Principal Staff Officer to the IGP.  

The move, Daily Sun gathered, may not be unconnected with the appointment of a non police officer by President Muhammadu Buhari as acting chair of the commission. 

In the letter sighted by Daily Sun, and addressed to the EFCC Chairman, the IGP specifically directed officers in the ranks of Chief Superintendent of Police and above to vacate the commission with immediate effect by yesterday, and report to the office of the PSO, at the police force headquarters.

 He said the decision to withdraw the officers was based on the operational requirements of the Nigeria Police Force.  

The letter titled, ‘Withdrawal of senior police officers from the rank of Chief Superintendent of Police and above attached to the EFCC, reads in part: “I write to extend earnest regards of the Inspector-General of Police and to inform the chairman that the Inspector-General of Police has directed the withdrawal of all senior police officers from the rank of Chief Superintendent of Police and above attached to your agency.

 “The decision is informed by the current operational requirements of the force. You are, accordingly, requested to kindly direct the immediate release of the concerned officers who are to collectively report to the undersigned, on Wednesday, April 21, 2021, at 10am for further instructions.

 “I am to, also, request that you avail this office the comprehensive nominal roll of all police personnel attached to the EFCC, to include their date of transfer and designations in the agency for the purpose of updating our records.” 

Alkali, who has vowed to restore the lost glory of the police had, last Thursday, during his meeting with Police Strategic Commanders, comprising Commissioner of Police (CP) and above, ordered the closure of the offices of the IGP Monitoring Units in Lagos and Port Harcourt with immediate effect. The IGP, also, banned operatives of the Unit from undertaking criminal investigations, including taking over cases from State Commands.

 He said the ban became necessary to enable him reorganise and return the force to basics in policing.

 It was gathered that following the appointment of a new chairman for the EFCC, senior police officers at the commission, who were supposed to report back to the force headquarters since the new chairman was their junior, stayed back because of greed. Before now, former IGP, have tried to withdraw the huge number of police officers serving at the commission but could not, as the affected officers lobbied top presidency officials to stay put at the commission. 

In July, 2020,  the former IGP, Mohammed Adamu, had ordered the withdrawal of riot policemen from the EFCC and replaced them with new ones.

 The former IGP had, in a signal, directed the police personnel from Police Mobile Force 21, 44, 45, 46 and 50, to report to the Force Headquarters, Abuja.

 

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