The Inspector-General of Police, Sir Mike Obama Okiro, granted TheNEWS an interview in his Abuja office recently. The magazine team, led by General Editor, ADEMOLA ADEGBAMIGBE, included OLUOKUN AYORINDE, TONY ORILADE and photo journalist, FEMI IPAYE. Okiro spoke on the problems of the police and how to solve them

Q: What have been the challenges you have faced so far since your appointment as the Inspector-General of Police?
A: I was appointed the Inspector-General of Police on 1 June 2007. On 5th of June, I called a meeting of senior police personnel here in my conference room. Also in attendance were journalists. I rolled out my nine-point agenda. There, I spelt out what should be the focus of my administration: what the officers should do to ensure that my 9-point agenda is well executed. Granted that police problems are numerous and therefore, there is no way one man can solve them just like that, but we have to put in our very best. I do know that it is easy to destroy than to build, but with the loyalty and determination on my part and that of my officers, and cooperation from members of the public and stakeholders, we should be able to solve some of the fundamental problems.

Q: Your appointment coincided with a time when the country experienced a high crime wave: banditry, pipeline vandalisation, kidnapping in the Niger Delta, assassination and what have you. How do you intend to tackle these problems?
A: You really hit the nail on the head. My appointment came immediately after the elections. These problems you just listed are the fallout of the elections: political killings, robbery, kidnapping in the Niger Delta area. What I did was to marshal out my mission plan and then make use of the men on the ground. First and foremost, I undertook a tour of the zones to talk to officers and boost their morale, because morale was very low. Simultaneously, I did a memo to the government, where I explained that the welfare of police officers was very poor. The take-home pay was an insult on police officers. There was no accommodation as over 90 per cent are not living in the barracks. Some have nowhere to stay. I told Mr. President to think of a policeman transferred from Sokoto to F.C.T. on a salary of about N8,000 a month. What can he do for himself, except to live in uncompleted buildings or in abandoned vehicles? The President realised that we cannot be talking of the nation’s security without looking into the welfare of the policemen. So he assured me he was going to look into that problem of salary. He also gave approval for houses to be built for policemen. That helped to ginger my men. I can assure you, that hope is not baseless. The salary of the Nigeria Police has been increased now and the housing programme is in the pipeline


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There was no accommodation as over 90 per cent are not living in the barracks. Some have nowhere to stay. I told Mr. President to think of a policeman transferred from Sokoto to F.C.T. on a salary of about N8,000 a month. What can he do for himself, except to live in uncompleted buildings or in abandoned vehicles? The President realised that we cannot be talking of the nation’s security without looking into the welfare of the policemen. So he assured me he was going to look into that problem of salary. He also gave approval for houses to be built for policemen. That helped to ginger my men. I can assure you, that hope is not baseless. The salary of the Nigeria Police has been increased now and the housing programme is in the pipeline.

How can we have an effective force when the police continue to live in barracks away from the very people they are supposed to serve?? Would having the police live amongst the people help the situation in the country better than for us to continue the failed ideas of the past?? The members of the police need to live among the public that they serve to understand more of what is happening in the neighbourhoods and be better able to deal with situations and obtain information. When they continue to live isolated from the people, they are aloof of what is really going on and are not able to deal with crime as effectively as they need to.

Another problem I see with this is the idea of having government continue to handle housing for these policemen. Why does the government continue to choose to handle more than it is supposed to by concerning itself with these basic needs which can be handled by the policemen themselves?? Why not pay these police men enough for them to find good places to live within the areas they are supposed to guard so when these men decide to leave the force, it does not mean they will have to move. At the same time it has been the case that these barracks end up as slums as many of these police families do not treat these properties as they would have if they were renting from private landlords. I mean across many states there are many barracks that are considered eye sores and near collapse. Why not now change this old fad and instead move these police men out to be more independent and hence better able to serve??

I told Mr. President to think of a policeman transferred from Sokoto to F.C.T. on a salary of about N8,000 a month. What can he do for himself, except to live in uncompleted buildings or in abandoned vehicles? The President realised that we cannot be talking of the nation’s security without looking into the welfare of the policemen

Absolutely exceptional and a sign of a true leader, who craves for progress.
Only if EHINDERO was this good and sincere, security in Nigeria would have been much better today.

Thanks God for allowing us to witness the end of Operation let me eat and my eyes will turn blind

appalling how a novice that cant even drive a car is telling a cab driver how to open the hood of a car.

@BIGB!. the salary increase that the police are enjoying now was as a direct result of Ehinderos involvement.

The police pension paid to casualties family now was initiated by Ehindero. Do you want me to go on?

Stop talking on issues that you have no clue about, stick to spending your fathers ill gotten wealth. BOMMBOY.

If you think OKIRO can initiate salary increase for police officers in less than 8 month, dude you are living in fantasy.

OBJ approved the salary increased that is been paid now last year December. Check the records.

It was a sad affair at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Abuja on Tuesday 22 May 2007, as about 30 children of policemen who lost their lives in the line of duty wept uncontrollably. They had been invited to a press briefing and launch of a book by the immediate past Inspector-General of Police, Sunday Ehindero. The children, some less than one-year old, gave in to tears as speaker after speaker at the occasion dwelt on their plight. Gripped by the emotion on display, some of the police officers present desperately fought back tears.

Such open display of emotion has in the past few years become a regular scene at Louis Edet House, Abuja, national headquarters of the Nigeria Police, as an increasing number of policemen continue to lose their lives in the battle against bandits.

Haz Iwendi, former Force Public Relations Officer and currently, Kaduna State Police Commissioner, told this magazine last November there had been eight cheque presentation ceremonies to family members of slain police officers within a year. “We have been paying their families every month. Last Tuesday alone, we did the eighth cheque presentation ceremony for this year. We paid about N78 million to over 88 families. Last month alone, we lost 14 policemen to bank robberies. Whenever I attended the cheque presentation ceremonies, I cried. It’s very painful when you see policemen dying avoidable deaths.” In a press release late last year, the Nigeria Police said it had lost 62 officers and men in encounters with armed robbers within a space of three months.

Opinions differ on why bandits seem to always have the upper hand during battles with the police. Some public commentators think it has to do with the inferior weapons used by the law enforcement officers compared to those being brandished by criminals. Also, the police are sometimes stymied by insufficient ammunition, as bandits often operate in large numbers, with some gangs having as many as 50 men armed with sophisticated weapons like AK-47 rifles, and bullet-proof vests.

http://www.thenewsng.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=4129

Opinions differ on why bandits seem to always have the upper hand during battles with the police. Some public commentators think it has to do with the inferior weapons used by the law enforcement officers compared to those being brandished by criminals. Also, the police are sometimes stymied by insufficient ammunition, as bandits often operate in large numbers, with some gangs having as many as 50 men armed with sophisticated weapons like AK-47 rifles, and bullet-proof vests.

I sympathize with the families but the issue of bandits having the upper hand did not start over night, this is mostly due to the police nonchalant attitude that have been displayed over the years. We hear every day of the police selling ammunitions to these crooks. Nevertheless, I have not seen any concern the Nigerian Police have placed on the lives of numerous citizens who have died to situations that could have been remedied. How many Nigerians trust the police? I'm sorry but the Nigerian Police do not serve the people but themselves.

stillwater:

I sympathize with the families but the issue of bandits having the upper hand did not start over night, this is mostly due to the police nonchalant attitude that have been displayed over the years. We hear every day of the police selling ammunitions to these crooks. Nevertheless, I have not seen any concern the Nigerian Police have placed on the lives of numerous citizens who have died to situations that could have been remedied. How many Nigerians trust the police? I'm sorry but the Nigerian Police do not serve the people but themselves. 

Hear!!! Hear!!!

MAMAJAMA:
You don't know what you're talking about as usual. Ehindero is a pure failure and this is why this man walks around in Nigeria today with one leg and pretty much kissing any as s to stay free; it is written down, he will be arrested at anytime; and my man, you know it and your entire family knows it too.
You guys (Ehindero's family) have been to everywhere from juju shrine to Catholic church, but I can assure you that it is a matter of time, Ehindero will be arrested.

And please, stop disrespecting Mike Okiro, you've got to be severely retarded to make an attempt to compare OKIRO to EHINDERO.

How many Nigerians trust the police? I'm sorry but the Nigerian Police do not serve the people but themselves.

You can not blame the police; if their mighty boss (Ehindero) had distributed the allocated fund appropriately, things would have been better in Nigeria.

@BIG B1

Just like how i've never believed in Ehindero, that's how i will never listen to Okiro.
I mean, what is the difference between the two of them?

I hope that a day will come when you will come out and tell us who you really are.

At least Ehindero no send anybody go school sake of say dem dey do there job well

I’ve tried several times to relinquish responding to your barbaric and over exaggerated allegations about EHINDERO and his families.

@BIGB1 DUDE how many times have you been caught with your pants down and you refused to take refuge when I start dropping bombs on you like YEROSHIMA.

Accountability and integrity is what EHINDERO has and that is something your toothless father does not know how to spell.

How can an IGP like OKIRO come out and tell the public they are not magician. Does he think the office of IGP is all peaches and cream?

He knew what the situation was before he accepted that post and should address the issues that are facing the public about insecurities.

Was OKIRO not in charge of administration under EHINDERO? Was he not responsible for personnel, ammunition and the day to day operation of the force?

BIGB1 How many times have you publicly published fake allegations about EHINDERO?

LIST
EHINDERO BOUGHT IGP HOUSE FOR 400 MILLION! FALSE

EHINDERO SOLD HIS HOUSE TO RIBADU! FALSE

EHINDERO BOUGHT 10 HOUSES AS IGP! FALSE

EHINDERO STOLE 21 MILLION! FALSE

EHINDERO SQUANDERD 956 MILLION DONATED BY DELTA GOVERNOR TO THE POLICE! FALSE

GIVE the man a credit, at least he stood his grounds and discredited all this allegations, and he publicly said the records are out there for anyone that cares to investigate to go ahead

HAS THE TOOTHLESS GENERAL EVER TOLD NIGERIANS WHAT HE DID WITH THE $12 BILLION GOLF OIL REVENUE?

HAS THE TOOTHLESS GENERAL EVER owned up to any wrong doing?

When patriotic Nigerians are talking, you should hide your fat head in the toilet stool and shut the hell up BIG DONGON YARO

Just like how I've never believed in Ehindero, that's how i will never listen to Okiro.
I mean, what is the difference between the two of them?

OKIRO:
Mike Okiro is a man of dignity, who has self respect and respect for the Nigerian police depart.
Mike Okiro doesn't think about his pocket before taking any action.
Mike Okiro did not contribute to the destruction of Ibadan.
Mike Okiro did not contribute to the implementation of the last election rigging all over the country.
Mike Okiro cares about restoring the great image of Nigerian police depart more than anything.
Mike Okiro understands the roles of a leader and he's determined to exhibit them as much as possible in everything.
Mike Okiro purely understands and respects the constitution of Nigeria.

EHINDERO:
Ehindero is a confirmed jellyfish.
Ehindero only gets involved in projects that benefit him (kick backs)
Ehindero absolutely contributed to the down fall of Ibadan.
Ehindero was the main foundation of the last election rigging (operation DO or DIE).
Ehindero generally did not care about the image or well being of the Nigerian police (in fact, he intentionally retained and deposited Nigerian police funds in various banks in Nigeria, while this department was struggling and continued to severely disintegrate. It was also confirmed that he collected all interest accrued from the banks for his personal projects).
Ehindero truly didn't understand his roles; he was busy getting involved in things that had nothing to do with him or his roles as the head of Nigerian police.
Ehindero happens to be a lawyer, but knows nothing about the constitution of Nigeria.

Fact: Ehindero was one of the folks Ribadu wasn't supposed to touch; even though he is as dirty as a farm pig.
The removal of Ribadu was a major bummer to Ehindero's family. This is why he's currently laying very low and kissing every as s in the country to remain free.

Time will tell.

yes Okiro has dignity, afterall na him be the first IG to send someone go school based on orders from person wey dey prison.

@MAMAJAMA:
There is no need to call names; it isn't about Big B1 or MAMAJAMA, it's all about Okiro and the original jellyfish called EHINDERO.
Why can't you relax and let us play around with the facts on the ground?

Do you want me to bring it all out, my friend?
I can even tell you Ehindero's current location and what he ate this afternoon!

yes Okiro has dignity, afterall na him be the first IG to send someone go school based on orders from person wey dey prison.

@mikeansy my good friend:
Don't you think this is a Little bit too much for you? Please, stay away and don't get your shirt wrinkled

BIGB1 how many times have i told you to stop mixing CANNABIS With Hot drinks?

it's like petrol and fire, they do not mix, every time you get a drink from that concoction you start rambling like RAMBO or headless chicken.

Was EHINDERO EVER INDICTED OR SUBPOENA TO ANY PANEL without him showing up to answer questions?

How many times has IBB been indicted or subpoena to appear before a panel, and we all know the outcome.

The facts are there.

No mind them.
Everybody should mind his Business; NIgeria is not worth it

Mamajama:

How can an IGP like OKIRO come out and tell the public they are not magician. Does he think the office of IGP is all peaches and cream?

We all know that it will take divine intervention - magical if you like - to revamp the NPF from what it became during the locust years of Ehindero. So, don't bite hard!

ha ha, laughing like a policeman.a technical ' i give up'