By Rotimi Akinwumi, Correspondent, Abuja (Daily Independent 06/08/09)

Turai, wife of President Umaru Yar'Adua, is among those to lose their police aides, in the first act of Ogbonnaya Onovo as substantive Inspector General of Police (IGP), who on Wednesday ordered the immediate withdrawal of such personnel from those not entitled to them.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved a list of those entitled in March.

All such aides - 100,000 out of a total police workforce of 377,000 - have seven days to return to commands where more officers are required to meet urgent operational needs, such as tackling crime.

They are also being withdrawn to 'restore the dignity of policemen' now turned into domestic servants, Onovo said.

Other personalities affected by the withdrawal include all former Heads of State or Presidents, including Olusegun Obasanjo; wife of Vice President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience; former Governors and their Deputies; the wives of current Governors and those of their Deputies; and the wives of council Chairmen.

Also affected are the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Chairman; national Chairmen of political parties - including that of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Vincent Ogbulafor - and a host of other federal and state officials.

Onovo recounted at a press conference in Abuja that the FEC, headed by Yar'Adua, had in March released the list of political and public office holders entitled to police aides - a directive which will now be strictly enforced, he pledged.

According to the list, those entitled to police aides are the President, Vice President, Governors, Deputy Governors, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, (SGF), Head of Service of the Federation (HOSF), Ministers, Supreme Court Justices, and Appeal Court Justices.

Others include Chief Judge and Grand Khadi of a state, Customary Court of Appeal President, council Chairmen, council Vice Chairmen, and Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

Federal and state Assembly members entitled are Senate President, Deputy Senate President, House of Representatives Speaker and his Deputy, state Assembly Speakers and their Deputies.

Onovo said that anyone not covered on the list should make private arrangements for his or her own security as the police will henceforth carry out their Constitutional duty of providing security for all Nigerians rather than for a chosen few.

He gave them an ultimatum of seven days to release their illegal police aides, who should return to their commands and formations.

Officers who refuse to comply with the directive will be fired, he warned.

Heads of commands and formations are to compile and forward to Force Headquarters the list of their returning personnel by August 13.

"By this date," he stressed, "Any policeman or woman who continues in such duty will be dismissed forthwith and delisted."

Onovo insisted that the police are fully aware of their "Constitutional and statutory mandate to provide security to all citizens (and) this has to be done with every sense of equity and judicious use of manpower."

He lamented that the job of a policeman has been brought into disrepute by roles assigned them by some people, including having to carry women's hand bags or men's brief cases, like domestic servants.

Onovo also kicked against the idea of people sending their police aides to the market to buy condiments for the family, like house helps, warning that any policeman or woman caught performing such duty will be dealt with.

He promised a special squad to monitor aides attached to persons who deserve them, to ensure they are not made to carry out demeaning jobs.

He also warned that any policeman or woman caught carrying out illegal duties for those to whom they are not officially attached will be sacked.

All withdrawn aides will undergo a special training on August 18 for re-orientation on duties of a policeman.

Onovo said the police can no longer put up with having about 100,000 of personnel work as domestic staff for a few privileged people, while the rest of the 140 million Nigerians are hardly provided security.

That s a good one bros ONOVO

Halleluyah, For once, someone who is standing up for what should be.

Let this man usher in a new phase in Naija, yippee!!!

THIS IS JUST A NORMAL INITIAL GRAGRA THAT ANY NEW OFFICE HOLDER WILL EXIBIT.LETS WAIT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN TWO WEEKS TIME.that is when we will understand that this guys(all the IGS and POLICE officers) are more or less a robot being controlled with a remote controller

Nice move from the new I.G but we are used hearing all these action plans when a new president, governors or wotever gets to the position. I will rather wait and watch rather than praise him yet.

You are right,this is just Intia Gra Gra!What is important is if he would eventually keep to his word cos we all know what all our IG's are capable of doing.The Police Force has become a breeding ground for Scoundrels.

Right, we should wait and see, but at least we only have to wait  one week to know whether its empty talk or real talk.

My guess is that many of these police aides will simply forfeit their jobs and become house staff, coming back to work with the measly pay may not be enticing enough, lol

Dede Onovo, Ekeresimesi is around the corner ooo.
make u shine ya eye ooo

@ Topic,
I like this inital gra gra wey you dey show.
make we see how long e go last

Methinks he should have left one or two officers for the EFCC boss; that job could be risky if the boss decides to do her job.

nuzo:

Methinks they should have left one or two officers for the EFCC boss; that job could be risky if the boss decides to do her job.

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-139399.0.html

agree

aguiyi:

THIS IS JUST A NORMAL INITIAL GRAGRA THAT ANY NEW OFFICE HOLDER WILL EXIBIT.LETS WAIT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN TWO WEEKS TIME.that is when we will understand that this guys(all the IGS and POLICE officers) are more or less a robot being controlled with a remote controller

wish u are not right but knowing naija u could be right

The man has said well, let us respect this and give him the credit he deserves for what he has said. “So far so go” we hope this continues and it will be a new dawn for the Nigerian police.

Nice move Onovo, but I hope its not a 9 day wonder.

A good move, but the bloody politicians wld not allow him implement it.
lets just Watch and Pray  



But i will rather disagree with that of the wife of the president and the vice. criminals (Hostage taker) can make use of that opportunity.

aguiyi:

THIS IS JUST A NORMAL INITIAL GRAGRA THAT ANY NEW OFFICE HOLDER WILL EXIBIT.LETS WAIT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN TWO WEEKS TIME.that is when we will understand that this guys(all the IGS and POLICE officers) are more or less a robot being controlled with a remote controller

says it all, IMHO

saintade01:

A good move, but the bloody politicians wld not allow him implement it.
lets just Watch and Pray  



But i will rather disagree with that of the wife of the president and the vice. criminals (Hostage taker) can make use of that opportunity.

what of the ordinary man whose wife is going about without security men? if they allowed justice would we have this stupidity called kidnapping in the first place?

This man has taken a bold step worthy of comendation and emulation, but sincerely in my heart I do pray that they(powers that be/politicians) should not use this man to play politics, because knowing Nigeria, She doesn't encourage her citizens who perform creditably well to do more GOOD.

Methinks he should have left one or two officers for the EFCC boss; that job could be risky if the boss decides to do her job.

It's not his decision to make. That decision was taken by powers above (FEC) way back in march. He's only the enforcer.

This is a good start. It'll be the first piece of good news out of nigeria in over 1 year if he can pull it off.

soon these aides will be back. a part of Onovo's statement states that any one who needs an aide should apply. that is the loophole, when u see them back at behind their bosses, u will be told if asked that they were applied for. Anything happens in Nigeria but i sincerely hope he will stick to his words.

E no dey last now,am sure the man go don get im own slogan too like every oda IG'S before him and i am also very sure that as soon as he vacates office,he will be held for a corrupt offence like every oda IG's that the PDP has been breeding.Its all a mata of turn by turn nigeria limited !

It's one thing to say it and another thing entirely to enforce it,Mr Onovo we're watching to see if you've got the balls to actually withdraw police aids from Turai ,Ibori and Bukola Saraki

this is quite hasty and short-sighted. the problem is attaching more than one officer to these 'big men'

Bariga1:

The man has said well, let us respect this and give him the credit he deserves for what he has said. “So far so go” we hope this continues and it will be a new dawn for the Nigerian police.

so na wetin go return dignity to police be dis abi? all the "men in Black" wey dey break okada men head because of 20 naira dey give police dignity. All this one na IGG.

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

100,000 out of 377,000 police force has been turned into domestic houseboys, and we complain no one to fight crimes.

Fhemmmy:

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

100,000 out of 377,000 police force has been turned into domestic houseboys, and we complain no one to fight crimes.

Nigeria we hail thee

wakagirl:

Nigeria we hail thee

Now i know, Nigeria is a gone issue.

I have often wondered the criteria used to assign police aides to citizens. I started to believe it was based on the level of "bigmanness".

I believe Onovo will do well, but I also believe he will get sacked if he is too good at his job. I hope he can learn from Ribadu and El Rufai. If he's going to make changes, he can't be this drastic and he shouldn't start from the policy makers. They could use their policy making ability to unmake him.

He should start from detention anomalies and the N20 roadblocks first that don't disturb the politicians at first, but relieve the masses. Then when he has built up a very good name, he can begin to inconvenience the bigwigs.

I believe in Onovo, but if he comes out with this kind of attitude, "they" won't let him get anywhere.

We need more policemen in the field. Imagine 1 in every five policemen paid from the Federal Budget are in private service. All that rubbish offer to end.

I believe that the FEC have to review their paper to ensure that the EFCC and some other critical position holders have police protection.

@tiptess

I believe Onovo was saying that those who feel they need protection but are not in the list should apply for their PRIVATE security. Not for them to apply to the police again. In times of genuine security threats though, the police can be called in and that is something that is done for every citizen in dire need of it.

I also suggest that banks pay a lot for police security per minute when conveying their bullion vans because I see them hold down our security personnel and keep us exposed to danger.

All in all, I'm happy Onovo is there.

nex:

I have often wondered the criteria used to assign police aides to citizens. I started to believe it was based on the level of "bigmanness".

I believe Onovo will do well, but I also believe he will get sacked if he is too good at his job. I hope he can learn from Ribadu and El Rufai. If he's going to make changes, he can't be this drastic and he shouldn't start from the policy makers. They could use their policy making ability to unmake him.

He should start from detention anomalies and the N20 roadblocks first that don't disturb the politicians at first, but relieve the masses. Then when he has built up a very good name, he can begin to inconvenience the bigwigs.

I believe in Onovo, but if he comes out with this kind of attitude, "they" won't let him get anywhere.

We need more policemen in the field. Imagine 1 in every five policemen paid from the Federal Budget are in private service. All that rubbish offer to end.

I believe that the FEC have to review their paper to ensure that the EFCC and some other critical position holders have police protection.

@tiptess

I believe Onovo was saying that those who feel they need protection but are not in the list should apply for their PRIVATE security. Not for them to apply to the police again. In times of genuine security threats though, the police can be called in and that is something that is done for every citizen in dire need of it.

I also suggest that banks pay a lot for police security per minute when conveying their bullion vans because I see them hold down our security personnel and keep us exposed to danger.

All in all, I'm happy Onovo is there.

What was good in those mentioned.

And there will be many more disgruntled Policemen on the streets who have just lost their cash cows and will be trigger happy at shooting innocent civilians to vent out frustration.

i like that move

lets see if they will turn to the military

Status-quo will surely remain the same until the President say otherwise. This show of power is clearly out of Onovo's control. Let him go and withdraw police from Turai