Obiano has 221 police personnel –IGP

Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, has said Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, has 221 police officers and men, including an Aide-De-Camp (ADC) and a chief security officer attached to him for office and personal protection.
The IGP’s revelation came against the backdrop opf reports that he withdrew his security aides on Tuesday.
The police boss insisted, yesterday,  he never withdrew Obiano’s ADC or any other police officer attached to the governor.
The IGP, who made this known in Abuja, explained that what happened on the day his ADC was allegedly withdrawn was that both the ADC and the Chief Security Officer (CSO) were asked to attend the IGP’s lecture, alongside other police personnel deployed for tomorrow’s election in Anambra State, which took place at the Police Command Headquarters in Awka, on Tuesday.
The IGP had come under heavy criticism after Obiano raised the alarm that he woke up Tuesday morning to discover that his ADC and CSO had been withdrawn by the IGP.
Obiano said withdrawal of his security aides meant his life was in danger.
Worried by the development, President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Assembly, on Wednesday, at separate events, ordered the immediate restoration of Obiano’s security aides.
The order has been complied with.
But Idris, in a statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, yesterday, noted that it was imperative for the IGP to explain “rumours surrounding alleged withdrawal of Obiano’s ADC.
“Obviously, the 221 police personnel attached to Obiano are more than the strength of some police area commands in some states of the country.
“This was done to ensure optimum safety and protection of the executive governor of Anambra state.”
He gave a breakdown of the 221 police personnel attached to the governor to include “one ADC, one CSO,  Unit Commander, from 45 PMF, one Admin Officer, all of them senior police officers to administer the police personnel.
Others include “43 personnel of Police Mobile Force, from 29 PMF and 54 PMF, 62 personnel of Police Mobile Force (PMF) – from 45 PMF, 46 personnel of Special Protection Unit (SPU) and 66 personnel of Conventional Police Men.
“It is absolutely imperative to correct the wrong impression created in the media that the governor’s ADC was withdrawn.
“The true position of the matter is that the ADC or any other police officer attached to Obiano was not withdrawn…The ADC and CSO returned few hours later, after the lecture, same date, to their duty posts in Government House, Awka, Anambra sate.
Furthermore, the security arrangement currently being implemented by the police, to ensure a conducive atmosphere for a credible, free and fair governorship election scheduled for Saturday will not be compromised…”
and will cover the protection of all flag bearers of the 37 political parties participating in the election.
“The Force will also ensure adequate protection of the electorate, INEC officials, election observers/monitors, electoral materials and the general populace before, during and after the election.
|Sun