Adamu had on Tuesday contrary to a directive by President Muhammadu Buhari ordered police commands not to exempt anybody, including workers on essential duties, when enforcing the ban on interstate movements and curfew.
Mohammed Adamu, Nigeria's Inspector-General of Police, has exempted doctors, journalists, fire fighters among other essential workers from adhering to the curfew put in place to stop the spread of Coronavirus in Lagos, Ogun and the FCT.
Adamu had on Tuesday contrary to a directive by President Muhammadu Buhari ordered police commands not to exempt anybody, including workers on essential duties, when enforcing the ban on interstate movements and curfew.
His order led to the arrest of more than 50 doctors on Tuesday evening, leading to a sit-at-home action by the doctors to protest their treatment by the police.
In a series of tweets on Wednesday however, Adamu said all essential service workers will now be exempted from enforcement of the curfew.
It reads, "Following unending inquiries on the status of essential workers in respect of the due enforcement of the national curfew and inter-state movement restriction orders emplaced by the Federal Government, it has become necessary to clear all ambiguity on the position of the Nigeria Police Force especially as it relates to persons on essential duties.
"The Force wishes to state that it is not oblivious of the sensitive, indispensable, patriotic and frontline role of the nation’s workforce that falls within the category of essential service providers particularly as it relates to efforts to curtail and contain the COVID-19 pandemic.
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"To this effect, all essential workers including medical personnel, ambulance service providers, journalists, fire-fighters, etc remain exempted from the movement restriction orders as well as the national curfew.
"Consequently, the Inspector General of Police, IGP M.A Adamu, NPM, mni has directed Zonal Assistant Inspectors-General of Police and Commissioners of Police to give maximum effect to these orders and extend due courtesies to essential service providers so affected and also ensure that personnel deployed for the enforcement duties respect the fundamental rights of the citizens.
"Meanwhile, the IGP enjoins all workers who fall within these categories not to take undue advantage of their positions and privileges to advance other purposes not connected with the performance of their duties within the stated period."