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Tag: AIGs

  • IG places AIGs, CPs on red alert

    The Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris has placed Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIGs) and Commissioners of Police (CPs) across the country on red alert.

    The Police chief explained the directive is imperative following the killing of seven policemen in Abuja by yet- to- be identified gunmen.

    The policemen were killed at an observation post in Galadimawa roundabout in Abuja on Monday.

    Idris also ordered security and crime prevention strategies be fortified in all police formations with special attention on places of worship, schools, markets, venues of recreation and other public spaces to forestall any untoward incident.

    He also said his men should embark on massive raids of criminal hideouts and black spots across the country.

    These were contained in a statement in Abuja yesterday by the Force Spokesman, Ag.DCP Jimoh Moshood.

    The statement reads: “The Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim Idris has ordered all Commissioners of Police in charge of State Commands and their Supervising Assistant Inspectors General of Police and other Police Formations nationwide to be on red-alert with immediate effect to nip in the bud and prevent crimes and criminalities in their States.

    “This directive from the IGP is consequent on the recent ambush attack and killing of seven Policemen at Galadimawa roundabout, FCT, Abuja on the 2nd July, 2018 by armed robbers /bandits.

    “The IGP promptly on the 3rd July, 2018 set-up a team of Specialised Crack Investigation Detectives, Police Scene of Crime Experts and Technical Intelligence Unit of the Force to investigate the ambush attack and killing of seven policemen, the investigation team have so far arrested five suspects connected to the killings.

     

    “However, there is the need to beef-up security throughout the country to enhance and ensure adequate security and protection of lives and properties across the nation.”

     

  • IGP deploys DIG, three AIGs, 26,000 policemen, others

    The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris has ordered the deployment of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIGs) in charge of Operations, three Assistant Inspector General (AIGs) and 26,000 policemen for next Saturday’s governorship election in Anambra State.

    Besides the policemen, the government has also deployed three police surveillance helicopters, 10 gun boats, 15 armoured personnel carriers (APCs) and 303 police patrol vehicles.

    The deployment is meant to cover all parts of the state, including the riverine areas and difficult terrains.

    The police also said there would be restriction of vehicular movement on Election Day.

    The police also urged Anambra residents to disregard the “Vote and Die” threat by the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB).

    In a statement yesterday in Abuja by the Force Headquarters spokesman Jimoh Moshood, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), said: “The DIG of Police in charge of Operations has been deployed to Anambra State and will be assisted by an Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) and three commissioners of police to be in charge of each senatorial district to coordinate the security operations and supervise the deployment of security personnel for the elections throughout the state.

    “To ensure tight security and safety of lives and property before, during and after the elections, the IGP has approved the deployment of additional 26,000 police personnel, comprising the police special forces, police mobile force, the Counter-Terrorism Unit (CTU), Special Protection Unit (SPU), the Anti-Bomb Squad (EOD) and the Force Marine Police, conventional policemen.

    “Others are: the Force Armament Unit, personnel from Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (FCIID), mounted troops, the attack and sniffer dogs section, police gun boats, police helicopters and armoured personnel carriers (APCs) to Anambra State and most of these personnel are already on the ground.

    “Three police surveillance helicopters, 10 gun boats, 15 APCs and 303 police patrol vehicles have been deployed for the operations to cover the state, including the riverine areas and difficult terrains.”

    Giving details of how the security arrangement,  Moshood said: “Other security and safety agencies, who are members of Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), are also deployed to complement the personnel of the Nigeria Police Force during the election.

    “Four policemen would be deployed to each polling unit with personnel of other security and safety agencies. No armed security personnel will be allowed within the polling units.”

    “Armed police detachments on patrol vehicles are going to patrol the streets and other locations throughout the state to prevent crime and intervene to quell any violence that may occur during the election…”

  • How PSC was sidelined in DIGs, AIGs promotion

    Details emerged in Abuja yesterday about how Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari and Acting Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris, exchanged correspondences which led to what sources termed the ‘illegal sacking and appointments of Deputy Inspectors General (DIGs) and Assistant Inspectors General (AIGs)”

    The Nation exclusively reported on Wednesday the disquiet over errors committed by the Police Service Commission (PSC) in the retirement of 21 AIGs ‘because they are senior to the IGP” and the appointment of seven others as DIGs.

    However, sources told our correspondent that although Chairman of PSC Mike Okiro, a retired IG,  authorised the issuance of the statement announcing the retirements and appointments, he did so after it became obvious that there was nothing the commission could do about the matter because of the direct interference by The Presidency through Kyari.

    According to a source conversant with the workings of the commission, the Acting IGP “hurriedly compiled the names of AIGs he did not want to see in the Police any longer to the President, in which he surreptitiously claimed that all those on the list were his seniors. By the action, the President/ C-in-C was deceived to grant the approval in error.”

    The source confirmed that AIG Shuaibu Gambo was not retired although he was senior to the Acting IGP while AIG Olufemi  Ogunbayode , who was promoted to AIG only two weeks back, was retired “because he is senior to the IG” .

    The source added: “The IGP also forwarded a list of officers to be promoted to DIGs. In the list, some junior CPs were picked and recommended for promotion to DIG over and above some senior CPs and AIGs who are from same state/zone. Despite this obvious abnormally, it was forwarded to the President and accordingly approved.”

    Sources said on receiving the approved list from the Presidency, commissioners at the PSC kicked against it, insisting that it was outside the purview of the Acting IGP to recommend names of officers to be retired or promoted as that remains a key responsibility of the PSC.

    They also argued, among others, that: “It is not the constitutional responsibility of the IGP to forward names of officers to the President for promotion and/or retirement nor was it the due process as carried by the Acting IGP; that the President could not have been in a position to know of the lop-sidedness deliberately designed and orchestrated error in the presentation by the Acting IGP; and that the promotions to DIG and retirement of AIGs were fraught with deliberate manipulations by the Acting IGP.”

    Sources said Okiro overruled the commissioners “on the grounds that the President’s directive was final and any aggrieved officer should complain later”.

    The source said the appointment of a junior AIG as the Acting IGP has left the hierarchy of the Police in comatose and that “to leave this to linger on a day longer will not be good for the Police and the country, considering the security challenges the country is now facing.”

    One of the sources insisted that the correspondences and documentation for the promotions and retirement that were effected were “largely done between the Acting AIG and the Chief of Staff to the President without recourse to the PSC as constitutionally provided.

    “The list was merely presented to the President for approval. It was obvious that the President did not know the true position on the ground as it were.”

  • Inauguration: IGP orders AIGs, CPs to beef up security

    Inauguration: IGP orders AIGs, CPs to beef up security

    The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase, has ordered commanding officers to beef up security around key and vulnerable installations in their jurisdiction ahead of the May 29 inauguration.

    This is contained in a statement issued by the Police Spokesman, Mr Emmanuel Ojukwu, in Abuja on Thursday.

    The statement, specifically ordered Zonal AIGs and Commissioners of Police in states, to take steps to protect critical infrastructure like mega filling stations, major hotels, National/State Houses of Assembly, and Eagle Square.

    It stated that this was imperative to ward off possible plans by insurgents to carry out widespread violence and coordinated attacks on those installations and public places ahead of the May 29.

    According to the statement, the insurgents plan to undermining the Presidential/Governorship inauguration/ swearing-in ceremonies nationwide.
    It, however, stated that the police had perfected strategies to provide security to ensure a hitch-free ceremony.

    The statement advised the public to continue to collaborate with the police and other security agencies to stamp out crimes and terror.

  • Aprill 11 Polls: IGP redeploys 20 AIGs, CPs

    Aprill 11 Polls: IGP redeploys 20 AIGs, CPs

    • Special forces for Rivers

     

    The Inspector General of Police IGP Suleiman Abba has deployed Assistant Inspectors-General of Police and Commissioners of Police to supervise the gubernatorial and State Houses of Assembly elections in different states.

    This deployment is in addition to the deployment of six Deputy Inspector-General of Police to coordinate Police activities in the six geo-political zones.

    Also, due to the volatile nature of activities in Rivers, Special Forces have been deployed to oversee electoral activities in the State.

    This is contained in a statement Thursday by the Force Spokesman, Emmanuel Ojukwu.

    According to the statement, the 16 AIGs affected by the deployment are: “AIG Usman A. Gwary – Abia State, AIG Olufemi Adenaike – Kwara State, AIG Mbu J. Mbu – Ogun State, AIG Patrick Dey Dokumor – Kaduna State, AIG Tambari Y. Muhammed – Jigawa State, and AIG Mohammed Jinjiri Abubakar – Gombe State.

    Others are: “AIG Ikemefuna R. Okoye – Oyo State, AIG Tunde Ogunsakin – Rivers State, AIG Jubril O. Adeniji – Bauchi State, AIG Yerima Irimiya – Imo State, AIG Baba Adisa Bolanta – Akwa Ibom State, AIG Lawal Tanko – Lagos State, AIG Ballah M. Nasarawa – Benue State, AIG Musa Abdulsalam Daura – Edo State, AIG Aderele T. Shinaba – Plateau State and AIG Bala A. Hassan – Sokoto State.

    To ensure adequate security, four Commissioners of Police have also been deployed for election duties to the following States: CP Sam Okaula – Anambra State; CP E. J.  Ibine – Ekiti State;  CP Adamu Mohammed Enugu State; and  CP Valentine Ntomchukwu -Osun State.

    In addition to the officers, Abba also deployed Commissioners of Police to command each of the Senatorial Zones of these States; Gombe, Bauchi, Imo, Akwa Ibom, Lagos, Benue, Edo, Plateau and Sokoto.

    On the deployment to Rivers state, the following Special Units deployed are: “32 Units of Police Mobile Force (PMF), 4 Units of Counter terrorism Units (CTU), 4 Units of Special Protection Units (SPU) and 6 Crack Teams of Detectives from Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) and complements of Intelligence officers”.

  • PSC shortlists two DIGs, two AIGs, CP to succeed Abubakar

    PSC shortlists two DIGs, two AIGs, CP to succeed Abubakar

    Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Abubakar may not get a tenure extension from President Goodluck Jonathan, it was learnt yesterday.

    Already, the Police Service Commission (PSC) has submitted the files of two Deputy Inspectors-General (DIGs), two Assistant Inspectors-General (AIGs) and a Commissioner of Police (CP) to the Presiden to enable him make a choice.

    It was learnt that President Jonathan was studying the files and may make a pronouncement any moment.

    Abubakar is due for retirement on July 31. He will proceed on retirement on that date and hand over to the most senior officer, if the President refuses to extend  his tenure before that day.

    A source said: “If the President does not announce Abubakar’s tenure extension before July 31, he will proceed on retirement. This is because that is his terminal date in the police. If it happens that a new IGP is not appointed, he will hand over to the most senior officer, that is the DIG ‘A’ Department.

    “He (Abubakar) cannot stay a day beyond July 31, unless his tenure is extended. This is because all  his course mates would retire on that day. In fact, about 60 senior officers are retiring this July.”

    It was also learnt that if the President is really interested in the tenure extension of the IGP, he would not have requested fom the PSC the files of those considered qualified for the job.

    Among the DIGs being considered, one would be retiring next year, it was learnt. The other, the source said,  has about seven years to stay in service.

    The DIG has about seven more years to put in service and is from the Northwest. The other is from Southsouth.

    Sources told our reporter that the DIG from the Southsouth may not be favoured because the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah, is from that zone. His choice may mess things up for the President. He is also said to be a loyalist of a former military leader from the North.

    Of the two  shortlisted AIGs, one is highly educated and a respected detective, who was a Principal Staff Officer (PSO) to three former IGPs. He is from Edo State, the Southsouth. He is also said to be highly favoured among those shortlisted.

    The other AIG, it was learnt, is from Niger State in the Northcentral. He was a Commissioner of Police in Rivers State and was in Lagos State as the supervising CP during 2007 elections.

    The sources said the only police commissioner on the list is a former controversial Rivers State police chief.

  • For IG, DIGs, AIGs, CPs

    WHEN you use ‘demand’ or ‘advocate’ as a verb, do not add ‘for’, please!

    “The reason is because (that) our parties lack political ideologies.” (The PUNCH Back Page Salvo, January 20) This was contributed by Dr. Stanley Nduagu, Abia ANA President, 08062925996. Additionally from Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, New Edition: Do not say ‘the reason because’ something happens…but say the reason why that something happens. ‘By reason of something’ means because of something. An analysis, like the foregoing, brings out the technicality of language which puts off most readers! And from me: you can say ‘the reason why I came’ or ‘the reason I came’. Some books frown at the former, why most dictionaries approve it. That is grammaticality for you!

    From Mr. G.O. Komolafe, Ilesa (08037277985) comes the next excerpt: “Twice THE NATION ON SUNDAY COMMENT (EDITORIAL) of January 12 used ‘severally’ and it got the meaning wrong. Note that the word is not the adverb of ‘several’, but the opposite of ‘jointly’ or ‘collectively’.

    SATURDAY INDEPENDENT of January 18 goofed on five occasions: “230 perish in road crashes in Nasarawa” THE NATION ON SUNDAY of January 19 also committed this same atrocity apparently from the same news source: “230 killed in Nasarawa road crashes in 12 months” The victims were not killed, but died/perished…! Except in unusual circumstances, roads cannot crash when accidents happen. What crashes are vehicles—not roads! We can have road/rail/air/sea mishaps and respective contraptions could crash—not the means.

    “Back to school (Back-to-school) resolution”

    “Lagos official charged for (with) violating Tenancy Law”

    “Only agriculture can solve Nigeria’s unemployment problem” ‘Unemployment’ is a present and clear problem globally. Therefore, there is no need for redundancies!

    “Matches between the two teams in the past have (had) always live (lived) to expectations….”

    THE NATION ON SUNDAY of January 19 disseminated copious blunders: “Harmattan hampers voters turn out in Jigawa Local Govt (LG) election” No news: voter turnout

    “INEC reads riot act to staff” Fixed expression: the riot act—headline considerations should not vitiate stock entries.

    “It must have been distraction (distractions) galore”

    “This seems an insult, both on the spirit and letters of representative government.” (National Mirror Views Page, January 16) Get it right: the spirit of the law (in this case, representative government) There is nothing like ‘the spirit and letters of…’! The correct expression means intention: the meaning or qualities that someone intended something to have, especially the meaning that a law or rule was intended to have. ‘The letter of the law’, conversely, means the exact words of a law or agreement rather than the intended or general meaning. (Source: Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, New Edition)

    Still from Longman: Do not say ‘invitation letter’ or ‘complaint letter’. Say letter of invitation/complaint.

    “It is a common sight in most police units and stations to behold all manners of faulty equipment….” Not my opinion: all manner of equipment.

    “They will only end up frustrating the good intentions of the president, thereby continually subjecting Nigerians into (to) servitude.”

    “As popular as the two investigative panels he has put in place may appear, the power to investigate all issues are (is) vested in the respective legislative houses….”

    “Charges of corruption against those in authority is (are) not new to Nigerians.”

    “Although, personally, his integrity was never questioned, that of the members of his administration were (was) loudly condemned.”

    “So (a comma) with dwindling earnings, the Abubakar administration cannot (could not) be expected to maintain the same healthy foreign reserve as he inherited.”

    POLICE ETYMOLOGY

    NIGERIAN policemen are supposed to be friends of the society. Alas, their adversarial comportment reminds one of colonialism. Cops in other countries are very friendly and professional. On December 27, 2013, during my trip to Umuode en route to Aba, Abia State, a cop flagged me down just before Ore and asked for the tinted glass police permit for my Sport-Utility Vehicle (SUV). All explanations that I forgot it in my wife’s car when I took the SUV to my local mechanic for check-up preparatory to my South East trip fell on deaf ears! The presence of my wife and children did not make any emotional difference as the insolent and corrupt cop, Corporal Temitope Oluwasope (212039), standing and dangling a WW1 gun as if we were in a war situation proximal to their rickety operational vehicle numbered NPF 533B, insisted that I bribe him with N10,000 for contravening the law! There was no hint of taking us to the station for a statement and subsequent ticketing or making pretensions about dragging me to a kangaroo traffic court! It took the intervention of a senior officer and a gentleman before the extortionist and unruly constable could accept N2,000, which I reluctantly paid to foreclose further time wastage because of the tender children aboard and the long, bumpy trajectory ahead. Otherwise, I do not succumb to such circumstantially exploitative demands. Such extortive brazenness is the identity of Nigerian police nationwide! This kind of official (police) banditry should be limited to Lagos roads where it is a way of life for officers and men of the Lagos Police Command under the feeble and rudderless leadership of Umar Manko! The IGP, DIGs, AIGs and CPs should check the corrupt and beggarly language of their ‘boys’ while on illegal/outlawed (virtual roadblock) duty. Such foul communication hallmarks irredeemable institutional degeneracy.

  • ‘PDP crises ’ll soon be over’

    ‘PDP crises ’ll soon be over’

    The Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade (rtd), is a close ally of President Goodluck Jonathan. He spoke with reporters in Lagos on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) crises and preparations for the Ekiti State governorship election. MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE was there.

    Would you say that you have really gotten the needed support from the President to effectively run the Police Affairs Ministry?

    As far as the Ministry of Police Affairs is concerned, I have been at the helm of affairs for about two years now. We have the regular budget and the reform budgets targeted at making provisions for the Nigeria Police Force. The reform budget is used to boost professionalism in the Police, while the regular budget is mainly managed by the Inspector General of Police and the Police Management Team for capital and recurrent expenditures of the Police. In the last two years, a lot has been accomplished within the resources provided, particularly in the reform budget.

    How?

    The reform programme is used to enhance professionalism of the Police, by providing logistics and equipment, training, capacity building, community policing and welfare. I want to categorically state that Mr. President’s support has brought a lot of improvement to the Nigeria Police Force. At the moment, the zonal Assistant Inspectors-General (AIGs) and Police Commissioners of various state commands are giving accounts of their achievements within the year, regarding curbing crimes and criminalities in the society in line with the accountability posture of Mr. President. We thank the populace for giving information to the Police to achieve this and I urge Nigerians to do more in the new year so that the police can serve the society better in 2014 and beyond.

    Could you shed light on the reform budget?

    In the case of the reform budget, when it became clear that the release to the ministry was dwindling as a result of the illegal bunkering and pipeline vandalisation, Mr. President gave a clear directive to the Vice President, who is the Chairman of the Interim Implementation Committee on Police Reform Programme to find an alternative way of funding the reform programme. This singular initiative has brought about the needed solution to fund the reform programme. Governors keyed into the contribution of one percent of federal allocation monthly to the programme. This is a major breakthrough for the Police. Also within the year, Mr. President gave various approvals to fund vital projects and programmes of the Police. It is through such approvals that the payment of acquired helicopters, Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC), utility vehicles, arms and ammunition, including training of helicopter pilots and Special Forces, was made.

    What is the state of police educational institutions?

    Mr. President most significantly approved the upgrading of the Police Academy, WUDIL Kano to a degree-awarding institution. The Academy will now function like the Nigerian Defence Academy of the military where professional officers will graduate to take charge of the rank and file of the Police. Similarly, the Police Staff College, Jos was given a face lift where renovation of some buildings and infrastructures, including roads, was carried out. Police Colleges and Training Schools are now receiving attention.

    What is the government doing about the reorganisation of the Force?

    A few months ago, the Commander-In-Chief constituted a Presidential Committee to re-organise the Nigeria Police Force as part of the transformation agenda of this administration. Another committee was set up for the establishment of a forensic and DNA facility for the Nigeria Police. I chaired the committee. The reports of these committees have been submitted for consideration. One important project that I must not fail to mention is the National Security Public Communication System (NSPCS) which comprises of video conferencing and surveillance equipment and the GOTA system used for communication. The NSPCS have cameras that are fitted in Lagos and Abuja at the moment and will also cover other states of the federation later. The project, which has been on-going, is now operational. These achievements made, as a result of the support of Mr. President, have gone a long way in transforming the Nigeria Police.

    Despite the support for the Police, have they fared better in the areas of fighting kidnappings and terrorism?

    Certainly, if you don’t invest, you get nothing. If you do, there is the likelihood of a tangible result. Mr. President has invested in the Police. We have gotten results in terms of faster response and alertness. Things are changing for the better from available records.

    How do you mean?

    It is common knowledge that population increase in Nigeria is high and yet, we cannot continue to increase the number of police officers and men for policing because the wage will be too high. But, by giving quality training and provision of intelligent apparatus to the police, manpower reduction is achievable. We have realised that it is only through continuous training that we can build confidence in the Police to fight crime but the Police need to partner with the community to assist in intelligence gathering.

    When is the setting aside of one per cent of federal allocation to the Nigeria Police taking off?

    It is going to take off this month because all the arrangements have been put in place to address inadequate funding of the NPF. Governors will now embrace the reform programme properly as the Chief Security Officers of their states. This will hopefully limit the clamour for State Police.

    The introduction of the one per cent of Revenue Allocation will assist to fund the Reform Programme by providing more logistics, equipment, welfare and training, among others.

    Is the budgetary allocation for the Force inadequate or it is being misappropriated?

    At the beginning of this interview, I talked about the need to fund the Police. I am not sure whether funding can be adequate because of other compelling need in other sectors of government. However, Mr. President has shown the way to improve funding when he noticed the insufficiency. From my experience as a former military administrator of Bayelsa State, I have realised that the key to our progress as a nation is to prudently utilise available resources that are meant for the people or organisation, before asking for more funds. Secondly, every effort must be made to show leadership by driving the implementation of projects and programmes to a logical conclusion.

    What is the relationship between the Force and the Ministry?

    In the Ministry of Police Affairs, we are guided by the need of the Police because they are the end users. The interest of the Police is, therefore, paramount in all our considerations and, therefore, the issue of misappropriation is avoided.

    What is your position on the protracted crises in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)?

    I must let you know that President Jonathan is not the cause of the crisis in the PDP. The birth of a baby, the APC, should not be a problem because they will still have to manage different interests of various characters in their party before facing the PDP. The unity of the PDP is our focus. The crisis in PDP will be managed and solved. The crisis will become history very soon. I can only appeal to all political leaders, religious leaders and traditional leaders to respect our elected President in the interest of our country. We must think of the implication of our actions at all times to guarantee peace, unity and progress. The international community will accord us more respect.

    The governorship election in Ekiti State is holding this year. As a stakeholder, what are the qualities or attributes you expect from the man that would be emerging as the next governor?

    The man that would govern Ekiti State this time around should be a grassroots person, who understands the workings of the state, its people and what their needs are. He must be the listening type who appreciates the peculiarities of the state. He must know the people well and must avoid deceiving his people with unfulfilled promises. He must be a realistic person. The incoming governor of Ekiti State must make sure that he does not plunge the state into debts, by taking loans that he would not be able to repay during his tenure. The next governor of Ekiti State should be a decent, enlightened, experienced and hardworking personality that can work under pressure to achieve tangible results for all to see. He must have a track record of transparency from previous engagements, and office held. He should not be a newcomer who will be learning from first principle, but an experienced, amiable and firm personality. The next governor must not only win the election, he must be an achiever, an intellect, a performer, a respecter of tradition and culture and a man of vision with a mind set to quickly transform the state. It will be an added advantage if he has the requisite skill to do so in collaboration with local and foreign partners.

     

  • IGP wants AIGs to curb rising crime wave

    IGP wants AIGs to curb rising crime wave

    The Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, on Thursday in Abuja charged Assistant Inspectors General of Police in charge of Zonal Commands to redouble efforts in fighting rising crime.

    Speaking at a meeting with the AIGs, Abubakar stressed the need to redouble efforts to tackle the rising wave of crime and criminality across the country.

    “I urge you to pay more attention to the incidences of rising crime wave across the country; daily situation reports bear testimony to this phenomenon,’’ he said before they went into a closed-door session.

    “In spite of the emergency rule in Adawawa, Borno and Yobe, the insurgents still inflict untold hardship on peace-loving resident of these states.

    “The explosion in Sabon-Gari area of Kano metropolis on 29/7/13 is another painful reminder that the war against terrorism is not yet over.

    “I hasten to add that you must redouble your efforts and restructure the existing crime-fighting architecture at your disposal to ensure that the zones, commands and formations under your watch are kept secured,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the IGP as saying to the senior police officers.

    Abubakar directed the AIGs to collaborate with sister security agencies in their jurisdictions in the war against crime, noting that security was multi-tasking in nature and that a single security agency could not handle it alone.

     

  • Discipline in the police

    Discipline in the police

    Misconduct charges against AIGs and 191 other police officers breathes for the force

    Four Assistant Inspectors-General of Police and 191 other police officers are to appear before the Force Disciplinary Committee (FDC) to show why they should not be sanctioned for various cases of professional misconduct. Deputy Inspector -General of Police, Suleiman Faka, who is in charge of administration disclosed this at a news conference. The FDC, which comprises all the Deputy Inspectors-General of Police and the Force Secretary who serves as its secretary essentially reviews disciplinary matters involving officers from the rank of ASP and above, who may have committed one offence or the other in the course of their duties.

    These are welcome developments, especially in our kind of environment where crime is hardly punished and where the police force is known more for its demeanours than in the display of professionalism and gallantry. We are also happy to note that the current police administration which inherited over 3,000 cases of indiscipline in January 2012 had disposed of all the cases. We cannot afford to look the other way on disciplinary matters, especially in the police force which is responsible for law enforcement. For them to perform their duties creditably, policemen must, like Caesar’s wife, be above board. However, given the atrocities that some bad eggs in the police force commit daily; at least the reported cases alone, it would seem the figures of those deserving of sanctions are underestimated.

    We are daily inundated with stories of trigger-happy policemen who shoot at the slightest or no provocation, resulting in the deaths of many innocent citizens. Police checkpoints have had to be banned on many occasions due to the activities of some unscrupulous policemen who have turned the checkpoints into honey pots where they extort money from motorists. Many policemen have been used for illegal duties by some personalities in the country, to settle personal scores. We have seen policemen who are drunk even while in uniform. In most police stations, police officers still collect bribe for bail, even though it is conspicuously pasted in the police stations that such services are free. We can go on and on to give examples of these atrocities by some men of the police force. If we reckon with these numerous cases, we would see that making 3,000 of them to face disciplinary action would just seem like a drop in the ocean.

    We must acknowledge though that acts of misconduct are not peculiar to police officers; it is an all-Nigerian challenge. And it is festering because the state hardly makes scapegoats of people, especially when those involved are well known individuals or people that are highly connected. We hope however that if the disciplinary process is routine, it will be possible for the impact of the sanctions to be felt by Nigerians because policemen would realise that they are being watched and that the big stick would be wielded if they are caught with any acts of indiscipline.

    All said, however, it is important to remind the government of the need to fund the police adequately if some of the vices associated with it are to become history. We agree that people whose middle name is misconduct in the force would continue to misbehave, but the tendency is there too for some of them to live straight if better remunerated and their welfare generally is enhanced.

    We are happy that those indicted have a chance to defend themselves through the FCD; that is how it should be, especially in a democratic setting. We hope the hearings would be fair to all in order to ensure that only the guilty are eventually punished. We hope too that those of them guilty of serious crimes would be prosecuted and be made to face the full weight of the law. That should be the spirit of the disciplinary actions if the appropriate lessons are to be learnt.