The Nigeria Police Force has expressed concern over the incessant and unauthorized possession and use of Police uniforms and accouterments by some individuals, movies, and skit makers.
The force has also raised concern on the illegal sale of police materials and accouterments by traders in shops, open stores neither approved nor recognized by Police authority.
According to the force public relations officer CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi said, the IGP has equally frowned at the demeaning manner in which moviemakers and skit makers portray the Police institution in their movies and skits, using the police uniform without recourse to the provision of Section 251 of the Criminal Code law, and Section 133 of the Penal Code Law which criminalize such unauthorized use of police facilities with accompanying necessary sanctions.
The IGP therefore charged all commands and formations, the IGP Monitoring Unit, Provost marshals and X-Squad, to arrest and immediately prosecute, in accordance with the law, all persons or group of persons engaging in the illegal sales of police uniforms and accouterments within their jurisdictions.
The statement also said, film or skit makers who portray the Nigeria Police Force officers in bad light, without applying for, and being duly issued a permit letter for such portrayals, to desist with immediate effect or face the full wrath of the law.
The IGP further reiterates the commitment of the Force to guarantee compliance with law, as the Force Public Relations Officer has been charged with the task of ensuring prompt authorization for all applications for approvals of usage of police items in movies, in tandem with the extant laws and which will portray good values, impress positively on the Nigerian public, add value to our system, provide police officers with modern innovations to actively carry out policing duties and on-screen role models who would influence their lives and career; consequently improve security mechanisms in Nigeria. .
The police spokesperson further said, the Inspector-General of Police strongly believes that such sanity in movie production, regulation of sales, possession, and usage of police uniforms and accouterments will definitely impact positively on resuscitating moral values, and correcting wrong perceptions and ideologies towards commissioning of crimes in our society.
He added “It is obvious that this step will surely curb proliferation of Police kits, uniforms, and accouterments and eventually reduce police impostors-induced crimes in our society.
