IG Orders Arrest, Prosecution of Actors Demeaning Police in Movies

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

The Inspector-General(IG) of Police, Usman Alkali  Baba, weekend, ordered the arrest and prosecution of actors and skit makers, who put on  police uniforms  without authorisation and portray police in bad light in movies.

He also ordered police commands to arrest individuals or groups engaged in illegal sale of police uniforms and accoutrements without permit from police.

A statement by Force Headquarters said henceforth, the office of the Force Public Relations Officer would be  charged with the task of ensuring prompt authorisation 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 the 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 Nigeria Police Force has expressed concern over the incessant and authorised possession and use of police uniforms and accoutrements by some individuals, movies and skit makers, as well as the illegal sale of police materials and accoutrements by traders in shops, open stores not approved nor recognised by police authority.

“The IG has equally frowned at the demeaning manner in which movie makers 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 criminalise such unauthorised use with accompanying necessary sanctions”, it said.

“The IG, therefore, charge all commands and formations, the IG 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 accoutrements within their jurisdictions, while 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”, it said.

The statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the police chief “strongly believes that such sanity in movies production, regulation of sales, possession and usage of police uniforms and accoutrements will definitely impact positively on resuscitating moral values, and correcting wrong perceptions and ideologies towards commissioning of crimes in our society.

“It is obvious that this step will surely curb proliferation of police kits, uniforms and accoutrements and eventually reduce police impostors-induced crimes in our society”.