The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun has addressed the issue of police convoys escorting certain influential Nigerians to public events. He explained that individuals who lead large organizations with significant numbers of employees often require protection due to the potential impact on their businesses and the broader economy if something were to happen to them.
He emphasized that the decision to provide police protection is based on an individual’s societal position and their contributions to the economy. He also acknowledged concerns about some police officers assigned to individuals who do not warrant protection. He argued that many of these officers were not formally deployed by police authorities but were instead picked up informally. He identified that he has issued a directive to trace officers who are improperly assigned, holding their commanders or supervisors accountable for any misuse of police resources.
He said in a live coverage with Symfoni from 3:31, ‘There are individuals who have thousands of Nigerians in their organization; such individuals deserve protection. Because if anything happens to them, you can imagine what will happen to their business. You can imagine the effect that’s going to have on the unemployment rate in our country. So, in dealing with such individuals, we will look at their position in the society and we look at what they contribute to the economy of the country, and we decide whether they need police protection or not.
Some of these policemen you see attached to people who don’t deserve police protection – they were not actually deployed formally by the police authority. Some of them were picked on the street, and we are already addressing that. Recently, I issued out a signal that anywhere such happens, the policeman will be traced to where he comes from, and his commander or supervisor will be held liable. We are going to have a reduction of such incidents with the measures that we have taken so far.”