The Police Force Headquarters in Abuja has announced the arrest of a Supernumerary Police Officer accused of urging Edo State residents not to vote for the Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship candidate, Àsue Ighodalo.
In a video, the officer accused Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki of embezzlement and undermining democracy. He claimed, “This election on September 21 is not just about the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Labour Party (LP). 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 judgment.”
The officer further alleged that Obaseki and Ighodalo used state resources to build personal estates, including establishing Globus Bank, and hinted that Obaseki would be held accountable after his immunity as governor expired.
In response to the video, Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO) Olumuyiwa Adejobi condemned the remarks made by the spy policeman, clarifying that Supernumerary Police Officers are private individuals trained by the Nigeria Police for specific security duties and are not regular officers.
“The NPF strongly condemns this act and clarifies that the individual in question is not a regular officer of the NPF but a Spy police officer employed by a private company,” Adejobi stated.
He further explained, “Supernumerary police officers are private individuals trained by the Police for specific security functions, usually within their place of employment. They are not on the NPF payroll and do not swear an oath of allegiance like regular police officers. While they have the right to belong to any political party and freedom of expression, the police frown upon the use of an official SPY uniform for political activities.”
The officer has since been arrested and is undergoing investigation. Adejobi reiterated that the officer’s political comments do not reflect the views of the NPF, urging the public to disregard such statements and trust in the police’s commitment to professionalism, neutrality, and the rule of law.
