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Tag: IGP

  • IGP: police promotion strictly based on seniority

    IGP: police promotion strictly based on seniority

    •Minister takes change campaign to Force Headquarters

    THE Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, has explained that promotion in the force is based on seniority, contrary to insinuations.

    He said the police management decided to adopt seniority as criteria for promotion, stressing that it would help people know their projection in service.

    He warned officers and men of the Force to avoid lobbying for posting, noting that the Force will only post people based on requirements.

    Idris spoke in Abuja yesterday when the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, visited him at the Force Headquarters to unveil the “Change Begins with Me Campaign” to senior officers.

    The IGP said: “We don’t look at people; what we consider is pure seniority in promotion. We are all witnesses to so many situations in the past where they use different criteria for promotion. But in this time, like some of you that contacted me, even the names promoted are arranged based on seniority.

    “When we entered this job, there was a time we looked at it, we had people of a particular part of the country that were promoted but there was no rancour then and to avoid rancour within the system now, we at the senior level have decided that even the names of those to be promoted should be purely based on seniority.

    “We believe that it will help people in the Force to know their projection in the service.”

    He urged his men: “Please we should rededicate ourselves to the service of this country and try to avoid tribalism or reading meanings to postings. Posting in the police is based on experiences in the service and we have the management that assesses people because we don’t want people to start lobbying for postings.

    “I want our colleagues to observe some of these issues and know that postings are based on requirement of the moment and everybody should be loyal to service”, Idris said.

    The police boss also hinted that violent crime have reduced to the barest minimum despite believe that crimes were more prevalent at the end of every year.

    He said: “We are in ember months and crime rates have reduced to the barest minimum in virtually all the states.

    He urged officers and men of the Force to ensure adequate security throughout the country.

    “I implore you to provide the best service to the people of this country. I also want us to be very decisive on the issue of discipline. Police service is to the Nigerian people and nobody should be under any illusion. Irrespective of your location, as far as you are a policeman, you should be ready to provide the security in whatever capacity.

    “I am saying this because of some of the reports that some people are trying to instigate their colleagues on some unwholesome attitudes. I want to indicate that our uniform is for the service of Nigerians and every police officer, in whatever capacity you find yourself, you should offer that service.”

    On kidnapping, the police boss said the Force has made significant breakthrough.

    “We have made a lot of breakthrough in the area of kidnapping, but we are trying to enhance and improve on our performance. Kidnapping is not limited to a particular geographical location and we have to approach these issues using multidimensional approach.”

    Mohammed said “Change begins with me campaign” was designed to start from President Muhammadu Buhari.

    He told the police hierarchy that the re-orientation programme was meant to change the way things were being done.

    He stressed that “it is a campaign for all Nigerians, irrespective of coloration, religion and what have you”.

    “Contrary to the misconception in certain quarters, this campaign was designed to start from the very top, right from the President, the Vice President, Ministers and other top government officials, and then cascade down to all Nigerians.

    “Therefore, those who have said the campaign is aimed at saddling only the ordinary citizens with any burden have been unduly hasty. They should have at least waited for us to roll out the campaign before commenting on it.”

    “ As you are all aware, President Buhari launched this campaign on September 8.

    “’Change begins with me campaign’ is a pan-Nigerian campaign that has no coloration whatsoever – whether it is political, religious or ethnic. It is a campaign for all Nigerians, with the sole objective of achieving a paradigm shift in the way we do things. The campaign is based on one principle: Each one of us must be the change we want to see in our society!” he explained.

  • IGP: funding hampers police

    IGP: funding hampers police

    Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris has blamed the low productive of the police on poor funding.

    He said the Force needs more than 10,000 personnel to fill the vacuum created by those who died or retired.

    Idris suggested that the judicial system be improved to avoid delayed trials and prison congestion.

    He spoke in Abuja yesterday when the Senate Committee on Police Affairs visited him at the Force Headquarters.

    Idris said: “Presently, the police would have been far better if our funding is enhanced through some legislation, especially in the Police Trust Fund. You know there are some legislation that are presently before the National Assembly that can assist and enhance the funding of the police.

    “Legislation like the Cybercrime Bill and others require that some percentage be paid to the police to enable us fund most of our activities on a daily basis and my hope is very high with the visit because they are the representatives of the people, they are the lawmakers and we believe that with their support, police funding is going to improve”.

    On recruitment, Idris said: “We need to increase the strength of the rank and file in the police because since 2010, promotion has not been conducted and I think it is very important that we ensure that we provide the best service to the people that will enhance the strength of the Nigeria Police Force.”

    On the number of personnel that is required, the IGP said: “We need more than 10,000. But obviously, it has to be in a systematic way. It will be a gradual increase because it cannot be at once. We will start with the 10,000 and then, we will seek for more.

    The police boss suggested that Nigerian prisons be grouped to avoid mixing hardened criminals with others.

  • El-Rufai to IGP: Nip insecurity in the bud

    El-Rufai to IGP: Nip insecurity in the bud

    The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris has been charged to contain security challenges especially the crime of kidnapping across the country.

    Kaduna State Governor Mallam Nasri El-Rufai made the plea when the IGP visited him at his office.

    IGP Idris was in Kaduna for the opening ceremony of sporting events among security agencies under the Ministry of Interior.

    Commending the police’ professionalism in handling security issues in Kaduna, El-Rufai condoled the police boss on the death of some personnel during the crisis in Godogodo, Jama’a LGA of the State.

    He emphasised the need for comprehensive national solution to kidnapping and other violent crimes which have destructive effects on growth and development.

    In his remark, Idris pledged the police’ commitment to maintaining law and order in line with international best practices.

    He decried the lack of adequate police personnel to cater for the populace, adding that the current strength of the police runs short of the United Nation’s recommendations of a Police officer to four hundred citizens.

    Idris, who commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the ongoing recruitment of 10,000 persons into the police, expressed hope that it would be an annual exercise to augment the short fall arising from retirement and death of personnel in service.

    He urged the governor to assist the police in the search of personnel declared Missing in Action (MIA) while mediating in communal conflict in the state.

  • IGP warns kidnappers

    The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris has warned kidnappers, especially those operating in Lagos and Ogun states to stop perpetrating crime.

    Idris spoke when commenting on the arrest of suspected kidnappers of landlords at Oshorun Heritage Estate in Isheri, Lagos.

    Police spokesman Don Awunah, a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), in a statement said:  Natei Okunna (gang leader), James Kegbe (a.k.a JJ), ThankGod Segede and Trust Bourdilon were apprehended by operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), while spending their loots.

    He said: “This feat was achieved as a result of due diligence and intelligence-led policing exhibited by members of the Force and the zeal shown by public spirited citizens to rid our society of crime.

    “The suspects were arrested at different locations where they had gone to spend their share of the ransom. They, in the course of investigation, volunteered confessional statements admitting their involvement in the kidnap incident.

    “The IGP has restated the commitment of the Police Force to fight crime, especially the prevalent scourge of kidnapping to a bearable and tolerable state. He urges Nigerians to always be law abiding and to see themselves as stakeholders in this noble cause.”

     

  • How we’ll tame militancy, by IGP

    How we’ll tame militancy, by IGP

    INSPECTOR-GENERAL of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris yesterday spoke of plans by the police to cut militants’ activities in the Niger Delta region by 80 per cent by building the capacity of marine police.

    Speaking at the IGP Conference in Abuja yesterday, Idris said: “We are going to cut the activities of militants by 80 per cent, it is important to build the capacity of our marine police.”

    The IGP said that a marine school would be established in Bayelsa to build the capacity of police personnel to enhance service delivery.

    He also said that the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) would be trained in collaboration with the Nigerian Bar Association, Civil Society Organisations and human rights organisations.

    The police chief explained that the collaboration was aimed at changing the public perception about personnel of the security unit (SARS) of the police.

    On the training of personnel of the Police Mobile Force,   Idris said other training facilities would be used pending the return to Gwoza in Borno.

    “We cannot open Gwoza now but we will do skeletal services for now but soon we will move there,” he said adding that the force would collaborate with the Italian police for the training of border patrol personnel for optimal performance

  • Be the change agents – IGP urges police officers

    The Inspector General of Police, IGP Idris Ibrahim has urged men and officers of the Nigerian Police Force to be the change agents that will engender effective policing in the country.

    The IGP said the duty of policing is undergoing various changes globally and the Nigerian Police cannot be an exception.

    IGP Ibrahim stated this in his remarks during the graduation ceremony of 49 police officers who undertook ‘strategic leadership and command course 3, 2016’ at Police Staff College Jos.

    IGP Ibrahim who was represented by DIG in charge of Training and Development, DIG Tom Emmanuel said, “I congratulate all the participants for a successful professional course in the college.

    “The strategic leadership command course is designed for officers of the rank of deputy commissioners of police (DIG) and assistant commissioners of police (ACP). The course, which is the highest offered in this apex police training institution in the country, is meant to reposition the above cadres of officers; to improve their managerial capacity to have better perspectives of modern trends in the management of crime and criminality.

    “It will enable them deal with the issues of human rights, rule of law, and other challenges facing the Nigerian police force, with a view to curtailing them in line with international best practices.

    50 men comprising 20 commissioners of police (CP), 3 deputy commissioner of police (DIG) 1 acting DIG and 45 Assistant Commissioners of police (ACP) were enrolled for the course.

    Only 49 of them however graduated, one officer having fallen sick and died during the duration of the course.

  • IGP’s appointment: Matters arising

    IGP’s appointment: Matters arising

    Sir Sebastian Barth Ozoana (JP) is a retired police officer and senior lawyer. He has over the years defended the police in some court cases. In this piece, he identifies ways of strengthening the police.

    Recently, Assistant Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris was appointed as the Acting Inspector General of Police consequent upon the retirement byeffluxion of time of Mr. Solomon Arase.

    By the recent appointment all the Deputy Inspectors General of Police (six or seven in number) and twenty-one Assistant Inspectors General of Police voluntarily retired or were compulsorily removed.

    The voluntary retirement of the Deputy Inspectors General was so obvious and took immediate effect from the date of the appointment of the Acting Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris.

    But the compulsory retirement of the twenty-one Assistant Inspectors General of Police came later in time and gave rise to some public commentaries and or appeals that the twenty-one Assistant Inspectors General of Police who were senior in appointment to Acting Inspectors General of Police Ibrahim Idris should not be compulsorily retired in one full swoop.

    For reason aforesaid, it is necessary to look at the extant law relevant to the appointment of the Inspector General of Police by the relevant authority since the battle for the position had been fought, lost and won. There is no doubt that sweeping off from the Force such number of very senior officers as was the case in the aftermath of Mr. Arase’s retirement is an economically and professionally a gargantuan disaster.

    The extant law on the appointment of the Inspector General of Police is rooted in Sections 215 (1) (a) and 216 (2) of the 1999 Nigeria Constitution as amended. Section 215 (1)(a) provides: There shall be (a)    an Inspector General of Police who subject to Section 216 (2) of this Constitution shall be appointed by the President on the advice of the Nigeria Police Council from among serving members of the Nigeria Police Force.” (emphasis mine).

    Section 216 (2) state: Before making any appointment to the office of the Inspector General of Police or removing him from office the President shall consult the Nigeria Police Council.”

    From the above provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) the President can appoint any police officer as the Inspector General of police without observing their seniority in rank or appointment. This is because Section 215 (1)(a) only requires the President to make the appointment “from among serving members of the Nigeria Police Force.”

    By aforesaid reason/provision the President can decide to appoint a Commissioner of Police as the Inspector General of Police, or even a Deputy Commissioner of Police as the Inspector General of Police, provided he consults the Nigeria Police Council.

    Recall that because the appointment of the Controller General of Customs is not regulated by the 1999 Constitution, the President appointed a Retired Army Colonel as the Controller General of the Nigerian Custom Service.

    Also by the tradition of the military and paramilitary organisations in Nigeria, and for the maintenance of discipline, when a junior in rank or appointment is promoted over and above his seniors, those seniors he superseded normally threw in the towel or are compulsorily retired from service.

    This military tradition, I submit, is in conformity with what is called in Constitutional Law the Conventions of the Constitution. By which we mean an informal and uncodified procedural agreement that is followed by the institutions of a state or put in another way, method of doing things which over a period of time has assumed the force of law.

    Therefore, having appointed a junior to the rank of Inspector General of Police, all officers senior to him are usually eased out of service by voluntary / compulsory retirement. This is despite the statutory flavour doctrine in employment law.

    But prior to the introduction of the Presidential system of government in Nigeria by the 1979 Constitution, under the Republican Constitution of 1963, the appointment of the Inspector General of Police was the function of the Police Service Commission, by virtue of Section 110 (2) of the 1963 Republican Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    The said Section 110 (2) provides as follows:

    “Before making any appointment to the office of Inspector General of the Nigeria Police or removing the Inspector General of Police from office, the Police Service Commission of the Federation shall consult the Prime Minister, and before making any appointment to the office of the Commissioner of Police of a Region or removing the Commissioner from office the Commission shall consult the Premier of that region.“

    At that time the Police Force had only one Deputy Inspector General who was next in rank to the Inspector General of Police. The Police Service Commission never had no difficulty in appointing an Inspector General of Police who invariably was the only Deputy Inspector General of Police.

    The above was the position with regards to the appointment of the Inspector General of Police. However during the Military interregnum of 1966 to 1979 the Republican Constitution of 1963 was put in abeyance and the military appointed and removed the Inspector General of Police at the whims and caprices of the Military Head of State.

    By virtue of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended the appointment of Acting Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris cannot be faulted.

    This writer is aware that since the return of democratic rule the government had twice set up what was called Police Reform Panels. The first was headed by M. D. Yusuf a retired IGP (now of blessed memory) and the most recent was headed by Mr. ParryOsayande a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police and the immediate past Chairman of the Police Service Commission. The Osayande Panel also discovered that the members of the Nigeria Police Force are the least paid of all the military and paramilitary services in the country. This is not good enough.

    Part of the recommendations of both panels’ is that the most senior Deputy Inspector General of Police should be appointed the Inspector General of Police whenever the position of Inspector General of Police becomes vacant. That recommendation did not fly and cannot fly without an amendment of relevant sections of the constitution.

    Having attempted an analysis of the past and current laws on the appointment of the Inspector General of Police I seize this opportunity to congratulate the Inspector General of Police on his appointment as the Inspector General of Police of the most populous black nation in the world.

    All officers of the Nigeria Police Force (serving and retired) should support, pray and co-operate with the new Inspector General of Police to see that he succeeds in policing the country.

    The Federal Government should also support the new Inspector General of Police by properly funding the police. The mounting criminality, sophistication in the commission of crime, the reopening of many closed murder cases call for adequate manpower, well trained, equipped and motivated officers and men.

    It is also on record that Nigeria is still grossly under policed and falls below the United Nations ratio of 1 policeman to 400 persons; when a country like South Africa has surpassed the UN ratio.

    According to the UN data South Africa’s citizen/police ratio is currently at 1 police officer to 347 citizens. Whereas Nigeria with a population of 177million (2016) figures has a ratio of 1 police officer to 442 citizens.

    Over the years there had been no recruitment into the Nigeria Police Force save the ten thousand whose recruitment is ongoing. This is despite the fact that officers and men have been retiring, while others had died by natural causes and in service. These officers under normal circumstances need to be replaced.

    For the Inspector General of Police to perform optimally he should be properly empowered with the wherewithal for this purpose particularly at this moment of increase in criminality and sophistication in crime commission.

    Before his retirement some years back as the Inspector General of Police and after his visit to South Africa Mr. Sunday Ehindero in 2009 disclosed that the South African Police Service had over 5,000 armoured personnel carriers (APC’s) while the Nigeria Police Force had less than 20 APC’s all of which were bought during the regime of ShehuShagari between 1979 and 1983. The government should be able to provide the Nigeria Police Force with good (APC’s) that are fireproof, bulletproof and bombproof.

    In addition to the above shortcomings, the Nigeria Police are grossly under-armed. In this regard, we once again refer to the United Nation standard which is that for every ten (10) policemen, eight (8) must be armed. But in Nigeria, out of ten (10) policemen, only two (2) are armed. When Mike Okiro was the Inspector General of Police he once lamented that “there is a shortage of arms now because when you send out six policemen, only two are armed. When robbers come, they target those who are armed and the rest are helpless”. See Punch editorial of Friday, October12, 2007 @ page 14.

    One can write a book on the inadequacies confronting the Nigeria Police Force that militates against their optimal performance and needed to be addressed. It is only hoped that the President Mohammed Buhariadministration will rise up to providing the necessaries for the Inspector General of Police to give his best in policing the nation.

  • IGP orders massive deployment of policemen

    IGP orders massive deployment of policemen

    Ahead of next week’s celebration of the Muslim festival of Eid-el-Kabir, a massive deployment of policemen is underway across the nation.

    Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, ordered the deployment to ensure hitch-free festivities, according to Force spokesman, Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP Don Awunah.

    Assistant Inspectors-General in charge of zonal commands were directed to deploy adequate personnel to praying grounds and  recreation centres, among others, while police commanders are to collaborate with sister agencies and community leaders to monitor activities of ‘undesirable elements’ in the society.

    He said that the Police Mobile Force, Counter Terrorism Units, Explosive Ordinance Department, criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department would also be deployed.

    Awunah noted that sustained surveillance and special attention would be paid to flash and vulnerable points among others during the Sallah celebration and beyond. “The Nigeria Police Force is confident that the operational strategies being executed for the Sallah festivities will guarantee a peaceful and hitch free Eid-El-Kabir celebration,” he said.

    While wishing Muslims and all Nigerians a happy celebration, the police boss implored them to be vigilant and continue to support the police to prevent crimes in their localities.

  • IGP deploys DIG, AIG, 3 CPs, 25,000 personnel, others

    IGP deploys DIG, AIG, 3 CPs, 25,000 personnel, others

    The Ag. Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris has deployed a Deputy Inspector General of Police, (DIG), an Assistant Inspector General of Police and three commissioners of police to Edo State for the governorship election.

    The election is scheduled for Sturday.

    The senior officers are expected to coordinate the security operations, supervise the deployment of personnel, to facilitate the electoral process throughout the state.

    The police boss also deployed additional 25,000 police personnel comprising the Police Mobile Force (PMF), Counter Terrorism Units (CTU), anti-bomb squad, marine Police, conventional policemen, armament units, personnel from Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (FCIID), Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB) and the Sniffer Dog Section.

    The IGP noted that police aerial surveillance helicopters, gun boats, armoured personnel carriers and 550 patrol vehicles would be deployed to cover all the polling units.  The deployment according to the IGP, is to ensure that the election is conducted in accordance to electoral law and in the atmosphere of peace and security.

    This is contained in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday by the Spokesman of the Force, DCP Don Awunah.

    The force further said  that Idris would convene a peace meeting of all the political parties, candidates, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials, election observers and other stakeholders in the state.

    According to the statement: “This meeting will focus on the overall desirability of peace during the election and adherence to the rules of the game.

    “All police personnel and other complementing sister security agencies are under strict instructions to be professionally polite and civil, but firm in the discharge of their statutory duties,” he said.

    The police explained that the meeting was part of measures aimed at guaranteeing a credible election.

    He also advised political parties, traditional rulers, community leaders as well as parents and guardians to prevail on their members, supporters, subjects, children and wards to be law abiding.

    “The law will be fully applied on any person or group of persons found violating the Electoral Act,’’ he said.

    Idris assured the electorate and all law abiding citizens of the state, of adequate security throughout the election and enjoined them to cooperate with the police in the discharge of their duties as the security personnel will operate within the framework of democratic policing.

  • PDP faction to IGP: take over our chieftain’s murder

    The Ali Modu Sheriff faction of Ondo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Idris Ibrahim, to personally take over investigation into the killing of a former Chairman of Okitipupa Local Government, Niyi Pirisola.

    He was killed by unknown gunmen last Friday.

    The assailants reportedly stormed his home in Okitipupa town at about 3.00a.m. on the fateful day.

    A statement issued in Akure by the faction’s Director of Media & Publicity, Yemi Akintomide, frowned at the cruel act of killing the politician, whom many described as humane, gentle and down to earth.

    It said: “We urge the IGP to personally swing into action by commencing full investigation into this killing and ensuring the perpetrators are brought to book within the shortest possible time and the law takes a full course on the sad incident.

    “We as a political party, decry and condemn in it totality, this kind of politics with bitterness where our brilliant and versatile hands will be cut down in their prime, when the state and Nigeria need them mostly.

    “We pray for the family left behind by the departed soul to seek solace in God, for continue guidance, protection and better living conditions in the absence of their breadwinner.”