The Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has temporarily halted the withdrawal of police personnel attached to VIPs, companies, and others, three days after ordering the withdrawal.
The enforcement of the withdrawal will now continue on April 20, 2018, and not immediately as initially announced, the Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, said in a statement on Thursday.
According, the statement, the IGP decided to shift the date for the withdrawal after meeting with the commanders of the Police Mobile Force, Counter Terrorism Unit and Special Protection Unit on Tuesday.
“This is to enable the Force to carry out a thorough assessment of the current deployment and carry out appropriate withdrawal,” the statement read in part.
The IGP had on Monday ordered the recall of the policemen after public outcry over the deployment of many police personnel to private individuals at the expense of other Nigerians.
In view of the shift in date, the IGP directed the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Department of Operations of the Force, to direct all the commissioners of police and their supervising Assistant Inspectors-General of Police in the states and zonal commands across the country “to halt the withdrawal, revise and return those already withdrawn to their duty posts pending the new date of 20th of April, 2018”.
Political and public office holders, as well as public and private companies throughout the country, will be affected by the withdrawal.
The IGP said those who currently have police officers attached to them “may be provided (the officers) after the expiration of the period, if found worthy from the Special Protection Unit of the Force but should apply for re-validation through the Commissioner of Police of the State they are domiciled before the expiration of the new date of 20th April 2018”.
According to the police, the move is part of the renewed commitment to guarantee the protection of lives and property across the country.