Paramilitary agencies still use camouflage uniforms despite ban
Officers and men of Nigerian Police and para-military agencies are still using camouflage fatigue about two years after its ban by the Office of the National Security Adviser, Daily Trust investigations have shown. The Defence Headquarters (DHQ), on June 12, 2015, announced the prohibition of the use of camouflage uniforms by various security agencies other […]
Officers and men of Nigerian Police and para-military agencies are still using camouflage fatigue about two years after its ban by the Office of the National Security Adviser, Daily Trust investigations have shown.
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ), on June 12, 2015, announced the prohibition of the use of camouflage uniforms by various security agencies other than the Armed Forces namely the Army, Navy and the Air Force.
All para-military agencies using various camouflage/fatigues uniforms were given up to January 2016 to withdraw such materials currently in their inventory.
A statement by the then Director of Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade, however said the Nigerian Police will however use the uniform when in Joint Operation with the military or on special operation such as specific anti-riot missions.
He said the new policy was in compliance with the directive of the National Security Council approving the recommendations of a committee on measures to streamline the use of camouflage uniforms.
Olukolade said the measure was in view of the security implications and concerns raised on the clamour, duplicity and proliferation of camouflage uniforms in the country.
“The use of camouflage/fatigue is therefore restricted to the military and for occasional use by the police henceforth,” the statement said.
“The directive also stipulates that the military is to adopt only two types of camouflage for the three arms of the Armed Forces.
“With this development, the Ministry of Justice along with law enforcement agencies have been tasked to ensure that extant laws guiding the use of uniforms in Nigeria are strictly enforced.
“In the same vein, the Office of the National Security Adviser has been vested with the authority to vet and clear any production and supply of camouflage uniforms in Nigeria.
“The proliferation and imitation by criminals and impostors using uniforms especially the camouflage have been generating some concern in national security circles.
“The development has been communicated to all the agencies by the Office of the National Security Adviser.”
About a year and half after the expiration of the window, the para-military agencies are still using the prohibited fatigue.
Daily Trust reporters observed that police officers are still using camouflage fatigue in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja even though they were not involved in any joint operations with the military.
In Kaduna State for instance, personnel of the Nigerian Police were seen using the prohibited fatigue when they are going to routine duties in their various stations and commands.
Our reporters observed that police officers involved protection of dignitaries are still using the camouflage fatigue.
Some personnel of other para-military such as Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Nigeria Prison Service (NPS), among others are still using the banned fatigue in defiance of the order.
A source at the NSA’s office explained to our reporter that the agencies were given January 2016, so that they would have withdrawn and restricted the sale and use of camouflage uniforms.
The source said the circular banning the use of camouflage also prescribed sanctions for non-compliance, noting that two kinds of camouflage were approved for the armed forces.
The Woodland camouflage uniform, for operations in the forest belt of Nigeria, and the Desert camouflage, for operations in the Northeast and other parts the North.
For more than a month, Daily Trust had been trying to obtain comments for the story from the spokesperson of the Defence Headquarters, Major General John Enenche but without any success.
During the Easter weekend on Friday April 14, General Enenche asked Daily Trust to give him some time to respond on the matter, saying that it was a public holiday and therefore needed time to find out the current position of the military on the matter.
He asked the Daily Trust correspondent to contact him after the weekend when he would have gotten the appropriate information.
When contacted after the Easter break via his mobile phone, the DHQ spokesperson said he was out of the country but our reporter should contact his deputy, Colonel Mohammed Dole, to respond on the matter.
When contacted, Colonel Dole also asked for some time to also research the current military position and respond in the following week.
He later told Daily Trust that the information he got was deemed not sufficient, noting that after consulting with the director of information at the Defence Headquarters, it was decided this newspaper should wait until the director is back into the country before a response would be given on the inquiry.
When our reporter met General Enenche last Thursday at the DHQ, the spokesperson again asked for more time to respond on the matter of the status of the ban on camouflage uniforms.