•••ORDERS ARREST OF
POLICEMEN ON ESCORT DUTIES WITH SUCH PLATE NUMBERS
The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, has ordered a total ban on use of Police SPY vehicle number plates by vehicle owners across the states of the federation.
The IGP however said that the owners of such vehicles should not be arrested unless they are police officers or officers of other security agencies on escort duties.
He specifically ordered the AIGs and CPs to ensure full compliance of the order adding that they should mop up all SPY number plates currently in use and confiscates them henceforth.
The IGP said the order is sequel to strengthening the internal security of the nation adding that the order was without exceptions.
According to him, the order revokes all the such authorizations indefinitely.
Alkali Baba instructed the Commissioners of Police in the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, as well as their supervisory Assistant Inspectors General of Police to enforce the directives contained in the statement.
Meanwhile, the IGP warned that while carrying out these assignments, officers must ensure that the rights and privileges of citizens are not violated in line with the laws of the land and in accordance with international best practices.
The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said in a statement on Wednesday that the order was necessary to forestall the continuous disregard for traffic rules and regulations.
He said it is to make sure that the other extant laws guiding road use by individuals hiding under the privileges of SPY Police Number Plates is curtailed.
The statement further, warned police officers and officers of other security agencies attached to Very Important Personaliies, VIPs, who uses the SPY number plates to ensure prompt compliance with this directives or risk being arrested for violation of the order.
The statement charged m other security agencies and members of the public to cooperate with the police in this regard.