The recent allegation by Acting Inspector General of Police [IGP] Ibrahim Idris that his predecessor, Solomon Arase, took away as many as 24 vehicles belonging to the force is as disturbing as it is strange especially coming a few weeks after the latter was given a befitting farewell by no less a person than President Muhammadu Buhari.
Nigerians are not in the dark about stories of corruption but it is rare to see accusation of such magnitude coming from a high ranking Police Chief, an IGP in this case, confronting an immediate past boss through the media.
It is an interesting development that rightly questions the much perceived esprit de corps within the services. Idris had chosen the Kam Selem House in Abuja announce to the world through the media thus: ‘A week before I was appointed, if you looked through my office window, you could see so many cars. But the cars all disappeared when I came in.
What I did was to assign a directive to the Special Investigations Unit to investigate all vehicles’ purchases and donations to the police in the last three years as well as their positions.
“ When I took over, there were no vehicles. I discovered that the last IG went away with 24 vehicles including two BMWs. The DIGs , some took seven, oth ers eight.
And they left me with an old vehicle. Even the one I followed the president with, the last time I went for an engagement, the president asked me what I was doing with that kind of vehicle. The headlight has changed colour, which means it was parked for long under the rain.”
The IGP also disclosed that he had written to Arase reminding him of the standing rules in the force that allow a retiring police chief to go home with four of his official vehicles.
According to Idris , “ what does one need 24 vehicles for?” Arase who was in London at the time of the conference responded in the next 24 hours.
Arase said, “ I suspect there must be a disconnect somewhere because every information needed by my successor are provided in my hand over notes .
I am also not aware that any letter was written to me because if there was any dropped in my house, someone would have alerted me.
It is unfortunate that this matter is being made a media issue because my successor has my telephone number and could have called me for any clarification or even sent me a text message rather than addressing the media on an issue well documented in my handover notes.”
While we commend genuine efforts meant to kill corruption in the country before it kills the nation, we caution against trial on the pages of newspapers by top government functionaries who are supposed to bring their experience to bear.
It is difficult to explain how an IGP could come out to pelt a former boss with allegations without first going through the internal channels of communication or even formally hearing from the accused.
By taking the accusations to the press before hearing from Arase, if we must believe the former IGP, Idris may be showing traits which president Buhari did not see before picking him as a worthy Police boss. And this does not speak well of the present administration.
If there was a place that the President scored high marks, it should be the retention of Arase, a man appointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan.
At a time other Service Chiefs were booted out, Buhari allowed the police to function without disruption.
Arase bowed out gallantly recently at 60 with garlands from President Buhari. It therefore does appear that the new IGP is in a hurry to let Nigerians know that it is not the hood that makes a monk.
While we appreciate Idris’ resolve to make reform the police, it absolutely necessary to do a thorough check before going about these changes.
He talked about promotions and welfare. These are areas that touch the heart of every policeman. Now that Arase’s response counters some of the allegations, there will be more issues coming out.
There are insinuations that pay back time is playing out.
Probably, some of the former IGP’s disciplinary actions did not go down well with those involved and some of them may be playing key roles in the new police management team.
We advise IGP Idris to stay away from controversies before his eventual confirmation as substantive police boss. The bad blood following the retirement of some Assistant Inspectors General[AIGs] is still spewing. The promotions that came up have also raised issues. The police could do with less distraction.
Idris has a rich profile and we expect the best from him.
Sanitising the force is a welcome idea. In the process of reformation heads are bound to roll. When the bad eggs are affected, it a plus for progress. At the same time let not the good be sacrificed.
