Police to arrest, prosecute vendors of its uniform

The Nigeria Police Force says it would arrest and prosecute anyone caught selling its uniforms in the open market.

Some Inspectors and rank and file had told NAN that they obtained their uniforms from the open market.

But Moshood Jimoh, force public relations officer, said the practice was against the police rules and regulations.

“Anybody found selling police uniforms in the open market would be arrested and prosecuted because it is against the police rules and regulations,“ Jimoh said.

He also said it would be wrong for any policeman in the rank and file and inspector category to say that he or she obtained uniforms from the open market.

“It is not correct. I wouldn’t know who you must have spoken with, but it is not the practice in the Nigeria Police Force for policemen to obtain their uniforms from the open market,” he said.

He explained that inspectors and rank and rifle under this category were entitled to be issued uniforms by the Nigeria police force.

The spokesman said senior police officers were expected to buy their uniforms from the officers’ shop of the force.

“The rank and file are not to buy their uniforms whether outside or within the force,” he said.

“If anybody wants additional uniforms aside the ones issued, he or she does not have to go to the open market to buy.

He said uniforms allowances were already paid to officers from the rank of assistant superintendent of police to the rank of inspector-general of police.

Jimoh said the police could not admit suspects to bail for offences such as murder, armed robbery, arson and rape.

He said the police could only admit suspects to bail in cases such as theft or minor offences where they had the discretion.

He said the force had launched so many campaigns in the past on the issue of bail.