Strip Ringim of national award — ARP

JANUARY 22, 2012 BY CHUKWUDI AKASIKE 35 COMMENTS
THE African Renaissance Party has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to strip the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Hafiz Ringim, of his national award.

It will be recalled that Jonathan conferred an award of the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic on Ringim last year.

But the ARP said the escape of the suspected Christmas Day bomber and member of the violent Boko Haram sect, Kabiru Umar (a.k.a Sokoto) was an indication that the IG did not deserve a national award.

The party noted that apart from the escape of Umar, the poor handling of the security situation in the country was enough for the police boss to be stripped of the national honour.

National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Jackson Omenazu, urged the President to stop pampering Ringim, insisting that he had no clue on how to deal with the current security situation in the country.

Omenazu said the President needed not to give Ringim any ultimatum to ensure that the suspected bomber was re-arrested, adding that failure of the IG in the past was enough for him to honourably resign.

Omenazu, who spoke with SUNDAY PUNCH in a telephone interview on Friday, expressed shock that the police could allow a suspected serial murderer to escape from their custody at a time Nigerians were becoming worried of their lives and property.

He said, “It is surprising that the Inspector-General of Police is still allowed to occupy that position. How on earth would the police have allowed a prime suspect in the Christmas Day bombing to escape?

“Nigerians need to be shown that their lives and property are safe in this country. The escape of Umar is a clear indication that Ringim has failed in his responsibility.”

Omenazu called on the Federal Government to begin an investigation of the Borno State Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, for his alleged relationship with the suspect.

The ARP publicity secretary described the Boko Haram onslaught in the northern part of the country as a national issue that should be taken seriously.

“The governor of Borno should be expressly investigated because we learnt that the suspected bomber was arrested at the governor’s lodge in Borno. Those working in the governor’s lodge should also be interrogated,” Omenazu stated.

According to him, Nigeria will only move forward if well-placed individuals in the society were made to face the law without being protected unduly by government.

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