After their video went viral to the admiration of most Nigerians, the Nigeria Police Force has finally suspended two Supernumerary Police Officers, Obaze Blessing and Obaze Emmanuella Uju, over discreditable conduct and violation of Social media policy.
The officers, whose Tiktok video went viral recently, were suspended with immediate effect, the force public relations officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said in a statement on Friday, August 26.
The force described the violation as a breach of the provisions of the Police Act, 2020, and the Nigeria Police Guidelines for Recruitment/Promotion/Discipline of Supernumerary Police (SPY) 2013 by the Inspector-General of Police, as captured in a video posted by one of the officers in a viral video on August 3, 2022.
“It is important to mention that in line with Section 25 (2) (3) of the Police Act, 2020 and the Nigeria Police Guidelines for Recruitment/Promotion/Discipline of Supernumerary Police (SPY), 2013, issued by the Inspector-General of Police (Guidelines for SPYs), the mode of dressing of SPY police mandates its SPY officers above the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police not to wear uniforms. Similarly, extant laws delineate the Supernumerary uniform.
The suspended supernumerary officers – Obaze Blessing with SPY number 5709, and Obaze Emmanuella Uju with SPY number 5708, adorned themselves in conventional police officers’ uniforms contrary to the code regulating the SPY service.
One of them similarly adorned the rank of Superintendent of Police which is contrary to extant laws. Above all, they portrayed themselves in the viral video and other videos as undisciplined and unprofessional, in contravention of the Police Social Media Policy, with acts glorifying ill-gotten wealth and ill-morals, which has received wide condemnation from members of the public,” the statement read.