Turai, wife of President Umaru Yar'Adua, is among those to lose their police aides, in the first act of Ogbonnaya Onovo as substantive Inspector General of Police (IGP), who on Wednesday ordered the immediate withdrawal of such personnel from those not entitled to them.

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The Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved a list of those entitled in March.

All such aides - 100,000 out of a total police workforce of 377,000 - have seven days to return to commands where more officers are required to meet urgent operational needs, such as tackling crime.

They are also being withdrawn to 'restore the dignity of policemen' now turned into domestic servants, Onovo said.

Other personalities affected by the withdrawal include all former Heads of State or Presidents, including Olusegun Obasanjo; wife of Vice President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience; former Governors and their Deputies; the wives of current Governors and those of their Deputies; and the wives of council Chairmen.

Also affected are the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Chairman; national Chairmen of political parties - including that of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Vincent Ogbulafor - and a host of other federal and state officials.

Onovo recounted at a press conference in Abuja that the FEC, headed by Yar'Adua, had in March released the list of political and public office holders entitled to police aides - a directive which will now be strictly enforced, he pledged.

According to the list, those entitled to police aides are the President, Vice President, Governors, Deputy Governors, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, (SGF), Head of Service of the Federation (HOSF), Ministers, Supreme Court Justices, and Appeal Court Justices.

Others include Chief Judge and Grand Khadi of a state, Customary Court of Appeal President, council Chairmen, council Vice Chairmen, and Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

Federal and state Assembly members entitled are Senate President, Deputy Senate President, House of Representatives Speaker and his Deputy, state Assembly Speakers and their Deputies.

Onovo said that anyone not covered on the list should make private arrangements for his or her own security as the police will henceforth carry out their Constitutional duty of providing security for all Nigerians rather than for a chosen few.

He gave them an ultimatum of seven days to release their illegal police aides, who should return to their commands and formations.

Officers who refuse to comply with the directive will be fired, he warned.

Heads of commands and formations are to compile and forward to Force Headquarters the list of their returning personnel by August 13.

"By this date," he stressed, "Any policeman or woman who continues in such duty will be dismissed forthwith and delisted."

Onovo insisted that the police are fully aware of their "Constitutional and statutory mandate to provide security to all citizens (and) this has to be done with every sense of equity and judicious use of manpower."

He lamented that the job of a policeman has been brought into disrepute by roles assigned them by some people, including having to carry women's hand bags or men's brief cases, like domestic servants.

Onovo also kicked against the idea of people sending their police aides to the market to buy condiments for the family, like house helps, warning that any policeman or woman caught performing such duty will be dealt with.

He promised a special squad to monitor aides attached to persons who deserve them, to ensure they are not made to carry out demeaning jobs.

He also warned that any policeman or woman caught carrying out illegal duties for those to whom they are not officially attached will be sacked.

All withdrawn aides will undergo a special training on August 18 for re-orientation on duties of a policeman.

Onovo said the police can no longer put up with having about 100,000 of personnel work as domestic staff for a few privileged people, while the rest of the 140 million Nigerians are hardly provided security.