On November 4, the Nigeria Police Force detained 130 suspects, including 113 foreign nationals, in connection with high-level cybercrimes and activities posing a threat to Nigeria’s national security. The arrested group comprised foreign nationals, including 87 men and 26 women primarily from China and Malaysia, alongside 17 Nigerian associates. However, it has now emerged that these foreign suspects received unauthorized police protection prior to their apprehension.

Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, responding to these revelations, confirmed that officers found protecting the detained foreign nationals were operating on an illegal duty. Speaking on Monday during a workshop aimed at standardizing criminal investigations, Egbetokun disclosed that these officers had been detained, stating, “The policemen have been arrested. We found out that they were on an illegal duty. They were not properly deployed for that assignment.”

Egbetokun emphasized that the involved officers’ commanders had denied formally assigning them to the task, insisting that the officers would face appropriate disciplinary action. He clarified, “These police escorts were not formally deployed by the police authority; they were performing illegal duties. Their unit commanders have denied sending them, and they will be dealt with accordingly.”

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Despite this incident, Egbetokun noted that certain individuals in Nigeria, including high-profile business figures and employers of large workforces, legitimately require police protection. He explained, “There are VIPs that the police have to protect. Certain individuals, including large employers, contribute significantly to the country’s economy. If they face security issues, it could impact their businesses and, by extension, affect employment rates. Such individuals deserve police protection.”

In addressing the issue of unauthorized police escorts, Egbetokun warned against officers attaching themselves to people who do not merit protection, reiterating that such deployments are not sanctioned by the police authority. “Some of these policemen attached to individuals who don’t deserve police protection were not formally deployed by the police authority; they were likely picked up from the streets,” he said.

Egbetokun detailed recent steps taken to address the misuse of police escorts, including a new directive to trace unauthorized officers and hold their commanders accountable. He added, “I recently issued a signal to ensure that any unauthorized attachment will result in tracing the officer’s origin and holding their supervisors responsible. We’re already implementing measures to reduce such incidents.”

He also stressed the importance of responsible use of police escorts, cautioning that any individuals found misusing these privileges would have them withdrawn immediately. “There have been cases where eligible individuals misused their police escorts, and we promptly withdrew them. We continue to monitor these situations closely,” he noted.

Furthermore, Egbetokun clarified the police’s stance on minors arrested in connection with recent social unrest, refuting allegations that the youths were detained for participating in the #EndBadGovernance protests. He insisted that those apprehended were involved in looting and vandalism, not peaceful protest.

“We didn’t arrest any participants in the #EndBadGovernance protest. Those detained took advantage of the protests to loot, destroy public infrastructure, and commit arson,” he explained. Egbetokun expressed gratitude to the President for his “fatherly intervention” in pardoning the detained youths but reiterated the police’s commitment to safeguarding public order and property.

“We arrested criminals, not protesters. It is misleading to portray these individuals as demonstrators when they engaged in actions that damaged both private and public properties. The police fully respect citizens’ right to protest but must act when criminal activities disrupt society,” he asserted.