The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has confirmed that police officers were involved in the protection of foreign hackers who were arrested for cybercrimes, asserting that their actions were illegal.
On November 4, the Nigeria Police Force announced the arrest of 130 individuals, including 113 foreign nationals, mostly from China and Malaysia, and 17 Nigerian collaborators, for their involvement in high-level cybercrimes that posed significant threats to national security.
Among the arrested were men and women who were reportedly under police protection prior to their arrest.
Reacting to this development at a workshop on criminal investigations in Abuja on Monday, Egbetokun acknowledged the presence of police officers escorting the arrested individuals.
He stated that these officers were acting outside the law, adding that they had been arrested and were now in detention.
“The fact that some policemen were protecting these foreigners is true. We have arrested those officers. We found that they were on illegal duty. No formal deployment was made for them,” Egbetokun said.
He further explained that the officers involved were not assigned to protect the foreign suspects by the police command and were not authorized to perform such duties.
“The unit commanders have disowned them, and they will be held accountable for their actions,” Egbetokun added.
He assured that the police would take appropriate disciplinary measures against those involved.
The IGP also clarified that while certain individuals, such as business leaders and employers of labor, may rightfully receive police protection, those officers guarding the foreign hackers were unauthorized.
“Certain individuals, especially prominent businessmen and employers who have a significant role in the economy, deserve police protection. Their safety is important to prevent disruptions in business and the wider economy. However, the officers protecting the hackers were not formally deployed,” Egbetokun explained.
He also addressed the issue of police officers being assigned to protect individuals who do not meet the criteria for protection, stressing that such officers would be held accountable.
“We’ve issued instructions to trace and hold responsible any officers attached to individuals who don’t require protection. These officers are sometimes picked from the streets and deployed without proper clearance,” he said.
The IGP emphasized the need to minimize the misuse of police escorts.
He stated that when individuals misused their protection, the police would withdraw the escorts immediately.
On the issue of the arrested minors, Egbetokun clarified that they were not detained for participating in the #EndBadGovernance protests but for crimes such as looting and destruction of property.
“The minors arrested were not protesters, but criminals who used the protest as a cover to loot and destroy public and private property. The police did not arrest any legitimate protesters. We only arrested individuals who engaged in criminal activities during the protests,” he said.
Egbetokun also refuted the claims that the minors were arrested simply for participating in the protests.
“It is wrong to claim that those arrested were protesting. They were involved in criminal actions, including arson and vandalism, and no society can tolerate such behavior,” he added.
He reiterated the force’s commitment to addressing the issue of police misconduct and misuse of power, emphasizing the need for continuous monitoring and strict enforcement of regulations to ensure accountability.
