The Nigeria Police Force says it has arrested the individual dressed in a Spy Police uniform seen in a recent video making political comments regarding the upcoming Edo State gubernatorial elections.
A statement issued by the Force Spokesman, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the police strongly condemns his act, clarifying that the individual is not a regular officer of the force, but a Supernumerary (Spy) Police Officer employed by a private company.
“Supernumerary Police Officers are private individuals trained by the Nigeria Police for specific security functions, primarily within their place of employment,” ACP Adejobi noted.
“They are not on the payroll of the NPF and do not swear to the oath of allegiance like sworn regular police officers, thus they have the right to belong to any political party of their choice and freedom of expression. In this extant case, the Police frowns at the wearing of his official SPY uniform and engaging in political activities.”
According to him, the individual involved has been arrested for further investigations.
The Force image maker further reiterated that his political comments do not reflect the views of the Nigeria Police, and urged the public to disregard any such statements and to “trust in our continued commitment to professionalism, neutrality, and the rule of law.”
Recall that the officer had in the viral video, asked residents of Edo State not to vote for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo.
He also accused Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State of embezzlement and undermining democracy.
He stated, “This election on 21st September is not just about APC, PDP, and Labour Party. It’s about the evil acts committed by Godwin Obaseki and Ighodalo against the people of this state. They have fought and betrayed democracy, abandoned the rule of law, stolen our resources, and now is the time for judgement.
“This is the time for the people to tell them that we are the rightful owners of this state. Obaseki and Ighodalo have financially ruined this state, leading us into debt.
“Furthermore, they’ve used our resources to build their personal estates. Today, Obaseki and Ighodalo have used state resources to establish Globus Bank. I recall that during Adams Oshiomhole’s tenure, Ighodalo was asked to chair a state economic team, but he refused because there wasn’t enough money to pay him.
“That’s how he recommended Godwin Obaseki. You can see they are trying to make governance a family affair between two friends. We, the Edo people, will not allow that. Now is the time to bring Obaseki to justice.”
