- It is unfortunate that successive IGPs lacked the courage to withdraw orderlies from undeserving persons
From the look of things, the March 19 order by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, for the immediate withdrawal of police officers attached to undeserving persons and organisations across the country was not well informed. What followed showed that the Nigeria Police Force was not ready for the implementation of the IGP’s order.
Idris suspended the exercise by a month after meeting with the commanders of Police Mobile Force (PMF), Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU) and Special Protection Unit (SPU) the following day. Idris had met with state police commissioners and assistant inspectors-general at the Force Headquarters in Abuja before giving the order he reviewed.
The reason for the review, stated by police spokesman Jimoh Moshood, suggested that the earlier order for immediate implementation could not work. Moshood said in a statement: ”IGP Idris has graciously shifted the enforcement/implementation of the withdrawal of police officers attached to political and public office holders, VIPs, public and private companies and other categories of enterprises and business outfits and corporate individuals throughout the country as earlier directed. The withdrawal will now take effect from the 20th of April, 2018. This is to enable the force carry out a thorough assessment of the current deployment and carry out appropriate withdrawal.”
It is surprising that the IGP gave the order for immediate implementation in the first place, without an in-depth assessment of the situation. It reflected insufficient seriousness. We hope that this faulty first step is not a sign that the planned exercise is in danger.
It is noteworthy that in February, the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Mr. Mike Okiro, was quoted as saying that more than 150,000 police officers were attached to VIPs and unauthorised persons in the country. The former Inspector-General of Police had declared: ”We cannot afford to have more than half of the population of the police in private hands.” For instance, Okiro observed, persons who were ministers about 10 or 15 years ago still went about with police security.
Given the undesirable security implications of a situation where the police are not available for proper policing, the plan to withdraw police officers from improper roles is noble. But it must be noted that the plan has to be implemented first to bring about socially beneficial results.
It is disappointing that the police authorities have been unable to carry out this necessary reform over the years. A revealing report captured the failure of a line of previous police chiefs who had tried to correct the anomaly: ”In 2009, Ogbonna Onovo, IGP from 2009-2010, ordered immediate withdrawal of all orderlies attached to private individuals. However, soon after the directive was issued, state commissioners began identifying some private individuals that would be exempted from the policy. In October 2010, about a month after succeeding Mr. Onovo, Inspector-General Hafiz Ringim called for immediate removal of personnel attached to private individuals, an order that failed…”
Furthermore, “In February 2012, Mr. Ringim’s successor, Mohammed Abubakar, also issued his own directive, saying it was time to bring professionalism, efficiency and integrity to police operations. Mr. Idris’ immediate predecessor, Solomon Arase, also ordered the withdrawal of all officers from private individuals a few weeks before he left office. Like his predecessors, Mr. Arase also complained that the police could not afford to attach officers to private individuals when there are more pressing security challenges across the country.”
It is inexcusable that identified police manpower shortage is compounded by inappropriate attachment of police officers to a privileged few. It is bad for the image of the police and bad for the greater good of the country. We hope the police get it right this time.
