Few days ago, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, and his immediate past predecessor, Mr. Solomon Arase, engaged in a fresh media war over some official cars belonging to the Nigeria Police Force.
In the wake of Arase’s retirement in June 2016, both eminent Nigerians had engaged in mudslinging over the IGP’s accusation that Arase and some retired DIGs refused to return some official vehicles after their exit.
Idris had told journalists in Abuja that his predecessor went away with 24 vehicles while the former DIGs refused to return between seven and eight cars each.
This allegation was vigorously denied by the former IGP and his erstwhile deputies in separate comments. Arase had accused his successor of engaging in malicious propaganda instead of confronting the security challenges in the country.
Curiously, the media war was rekindled some days ago following a report that Idris had ordered an investigation into the purchase and distribution of vehicles by past IGPs.
Idris was said to have instituted the probe upon discovering that ex-IGPs and former DIGs usually appropriated police vehicles to their personal use. The report had stated that 19 vehicles, comprising sedans, Sport Utility Vehicles and pickups were recovered from Arase by a Special Investigation Panel set up by Idris.
Arase was said to have taken these 19 vehicles in addition to four he was entitled to as a former IGP. The story by Saharareporters had added that the team headed by AIG Ali Amodu (retd.)
was also making moves to recover five more vehicles from Arase. The team was also said to have recovered an unstated number of vehicles from some other former police top shots.
But Arase, in a statement he personally signed had stated that no vehicle was recovered from him. He said it was embarrassing for him to be inundated with calls and text messages on the purported recovery.
The former IGP had stated that he provided ample details of all the items he handed over upon his retirement and expressed disappointment that his successor chose to ridicule him in the media whereas he had direct access to him.
Excerpts from the statement read: “It is embarrassing for me to wake up on Monday morning to be inundated with calls and messages on purported 19 vehicles recovered from me.
I wish to reassure the general public that there was nothing like that. As I said in July, I did not take any police vehicle with me outside what I am entitled to, and so, there couldn’t have been any vehicle recovered from me.
If there was any such, those behind this campaign of calumny should please make the number plates of the vehicles public and where they were recovered from. “I have done my bit, and my own records bear me witness.
“It’s 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.” Given the varying accounts on this matter, there is the need for caution to avoid turning the issue into a personal war of attrition.
That IGP Idris has chosen to blow the matter open throws up a worrying angle that all may not be well between him and Arase. The media war over this issue has been quite surprising and avoidable, given the fact that there are established channels of communication between serving and retired IGPs.
It is unhealthy for the police force to be portrayed as an agency lacking respect for established forms of communications between its serving and retired top officers.
Sensitive issues about the police, especially internal matters, should be treated with a high level of discretion given its prime role in the nation’s affairs.
In all the reports so far, there has been no indication of direct communication between the serving IGP and his predecessor on the matter. While President Muhammadu Buhari’s war against corruption is commendable, it should not be used as an excuse by officials of his administration to tarnish the integrity of erstwhile government officials.
Every effort must be made to verify issues before rushing to the media in order to avoid creating the impression that such is motivated by a hidden agenda.
The media exchanges between both eminent Nigerians are quite unnecessary. The police are empowered to enforce the law and therefore the impression should never be created that the police force has become so weak that it has to resort to the media to deal with internal issues.
Where there are perceived breaches of existing procedure, established procedures should be followed in order to avoid bringing the police to ridicule. IGP Idris should consider resolving this issue in such a way that his intention is not misconstrued as an attempt to tarnish the image of his predecessor.
Ex-IGP Arase should also do his best to clear any grey areas in his handover notes in the interest of the image of a force he served for 36 years.
