Nigerian actors, skit makers, others warned on police uniforms

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) on Sunday expressed concern over the incessant and unauthorized possession and use of police uniforms and accouterments by individuals, including movie makers and skit makers in the country.

Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in a statement in Abuja, the nation’s capital added that the police were also worried about the illegal sale of police materials and accessories by traders in shops and open stores not approved nor recognized by authorities.

Adejobi said the Inspector General of Police has equally frowned at the ‘demeaning manner’ in which movie and skit makers portray the police institution in their productions.

According to him, such persons have continued to use 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 unauthorized use 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, by the law, all persons or groups of persons engaging in the illegal sales of police uniforms and accouterments within their jurisdictions, while film or skit makers who portray the Nigeria Police Force officers in a 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 police said.

The statement added, “The IGP further reiterates the commitment of the force to guaranteeing compliance with the 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, and consequently improve security mechanisms in Nigeria.

“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 impact positively on resuscitating moral values and correcting wrong perceptions and ideologies towards commissioning of crimes in our society.”

The move by the force, Adejobi noted would curb the proliferation of police kits, uniforms, and accessories, as well as eventually reduce police impostors-induced crimes in society.