SPY officers; Obaze Blessing and Obaze Emmanuella Uju suspended for adorning conventional police officers’ uniforms contrary to the code regulating the SPY service, Friday
Police suspend two female SPY officers for abuse of uniforms, other offences (+video)
Two serving Supernumerary (SPY) police officers have been suspended from duty with immediate effect over breach of the provisions of the Police Act, 2020, and the Nigeria Police Guidelines for Recruitment/Promotion/Discipline of Supernumerary Police (SPY) 2013.
Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, who handed the suspension Friday, on the two female SPY officers said the affected officers were found guilty of ‘incessant, illegal and unwarranted use of police uniforms restricted to bonafide serving officers of the Nigeria Police Force.’
The suspension of the officers followed a video posted on TikTok by one of the officers on August 3, 2022 showing them appearing in various outfits other than their prescribed dress code.
The suspended supernumerary officers; Obaze Blessing with SPY number 5709, and Obaze Emmanuella Uju with SPY number 5708, were said to have adorned themselves in conventional police officers’ uniforms contrary to the code regulating the SPY service.
The police said ‘one of them similarly adorned the rank of Superintendent of Police which is contrary to extant laws.’
A statement confirming the suspension, Friday, signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the affected officers ‘portrayed themselves in the viral video and other videos as undisciplined and unprofessional, in contravention of the Police Social Media Policy, with acts glorifying ill-gotten wealth and ill-morals, which has received wide condemnation from members of the public.’
“It is equally important to mention that in line with Section 25 (2) (3) of the Police Act, 2020 and the Nigeria Police Guidelines for Recruitment/Promotion/Discipline of Supernumerary Police (SPY), 2013 issued by the Inspector-General of Police (Guidelines for SPYs), the mode of dressing of SPY police mandates its SPY officers above the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police not to wear uniforms. Similarly, extant laws delineate the Supernumerary uniform.
“It states that they must be on their approved uniform, ash coloured shirt with “SPY” inscriptions all over, over black with shoulder badge carrying the word “SUPERNUMERARY”.
“Supernumerary Officers adorning police black, neon blue or camouflage uniforms run afoul of the law and would be adequately sanctioned,” the statement read.
The statement also quoted the IGP Alkali as calling on supernumerary officers to ‘adhere strictly with extant laws as strict sanctions would apply to erring officers.’
“The Force is similarly revisiting other matters of infractions against members of the Supernumerary Police with a view to handing out necessary sanctions to other defaulters,” the police statement said.
