A former Deputy Commander-General of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Sule Momodu, has called for the full enforcement of the directive withdrawing police protection from VIPs across the country.
Speaking to newsmen on Sunday in Abuja, Momodu described the order by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a step in the right direction. He urged the newly appointed Acting Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, to immediately activate relevant provisions of the Police Act concerning the deployment of “spy police” to guard premises and provide VIP protection.
According to Momodu, the legal framework is already clear and only requires decisive implementation. He explained that the first step should be for the Inspector-General to formally notify banks, government agencies, and other organisations requiring police protection to submit official requests.
“This will enable him determine how many personnel to be recruited; and in line with the Act, the training and salary of such people must be paid by the organisations requesting for them,” he said.
Momodu referenced a previous statement by a former Inspector-General indicating that about 10,000 officers had been withdrawn from VIP assignments. He argued that this development effectively creates 10,000 potential job opportunities if the spy police provision is properly operationalised.
He added that injecting 10,000 spy police officers into the system at no cost to the Federal Government would significantly strengthen the mainstream police force. According to him, this would free regular officers to focus on core policing responsibilities and improve overall security coverage nationwide.
Momodu further advised the Acting IGP to prioritise officers’ welfare in accordance with Section 20 of the Police Act, stressing that improved welfare conditions are essential for optimal service delivery and enhanced professionalism within the force.
