In a strategic move to boost transparency and curb extortion, Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu has barred Point-of-Sale (POS) operators from operating within 200 metres of all police formations nationwide. The strict directive aims to sanitize police environments and eliminate illicit financial transactions near commands.
Enforcement of the new perimeter takes immediate effect, with the police high command warning senior officers that strict disciplinary action will be taken if violations occur under their watch.
The signal specifically targets the ‘alarming proliferation’ of POS spots near stations, linking their presence to a rise in bribery and under-the-table cash transactions.
By clearing these operators out, the Force aims to protect its ongoing transparency reforms and salvage crumbling public confidence in national policing
According to the internal signal, the police high command viewed with “utmost dismay” how POS operators cluster around stations, acting as alleged channels for illicit transactions. In response, Force Headquarters has slapped an immediate 200-metre ban on all POS operations near police formations nationwide.
Command leaders, including CPs and AIGs, will be held “vicariously liable” for any enforcement failures in their territories.
Security experts note this directly addresses long-standing outcries from human rights groups. For years, critics argued that the proximity of these operators enabled rogue officers to force suspects into making immediate electronic transfers, making this ban a critical step toward cutting off institutional extortion.
