IGP withdraws senior police officers from EFCC

Usman Baba, the new acting inspector-general of police (IGP), has instructed the withdrawal of senior police officers from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). 

The directive, seen by TheCable, was contained in a letter dated April 15, 2021 and addresses  to Abdulrasheed Bawa, chairman of the EFCC. 

In the letter signed by Idowu Owohunwa, principal staff officer to the IGP, senior officers from the rank of chief superintendent of police (CSP) are to be released from the EFCC and report to the force headquarters on Wednesday by 10am.

The decision is said to be informed by the current operational requirements of the police force. 

“I write to extend the warmest regards of the Inspector-General of Police and to inform the chairman that the Inspector-General of Police has directed the withdrawal of all senior police officers from the rank of Chief Superintendent of Police and above attached to your agency,” the letter reads. 

“The decision is informed by the current operational requirements of the force. You are accordingly requested to kindly direct the immediate release of the concerned officers who are to collectively report to the undersigned on Wednesday, April 21, 2021, at 10am for further instructions.

“I am to also request that you avail this office the comprehensive nominal roll of all police personnel attached to the EFCC to include their date of transfer and designations in the agency for the purpose of updating our records.”

The directive comes barely three weeks after President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Baba in acting capacity.

The development also comes days after Baba ordered the immediate disbandment of IGP monitoring satellite offices in Lagos and Port Harcourt.

Wilson Uwujaren, spokesperson of the EFCC, did not immediately respond to a message seeking reaction on the development.  

Although it has its own trained cadets, a critical part of the EFCC’s operations are carried out by police officers. 

Former heads of the agency have been appointed from the police force, until recently that Bawa became the first non-police officer to assume to position.