Inspector General of Police Sir Mike Okiro, yesterday gave fresh reason why the promotion of former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, was reversed explaining that it was done to save imminent insurgence among the rank and file of the Police.
This is even as management of construction giant Julius Berger vowed never to return to the troubled region where it was handling multi-billion East West road before pulling out due to the precarious security situation.
D. Lubase, Divisional Manager of Julius Berger said the company would not mind if the contract is re-awarded to another firm since, according to him, all measures put in place by security agencies to guarantee safety of its workers have failed.
Ribadu was promoted first from the post of Deputy Commissioner to Commissioner of Police and then Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) within one year by former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.
Okiro who was represented at an interactive session with members of the House of Representatives committee on Niger Delta on ways of attaining peace in the troubled region, by Commissioner of Police (Administration) Mr Felix Ogbaudu, said Ribadu's colleagues and superiors in the Force were already getting restive over his rapid promotion, insisting that there was need to restore sanity in the Force.
Narrating his personal experience, for instance, Ogbaudu who expressed disgust over the promotion wondered why Ribadu who joined the Nigeria Police about 10 years after he, Ogbaudu was enlisted was elevated far ahead of him.
He further said besides being Ribadu's senior by 10 years, the latter even served under him as Chief Superintendent, when he has already a Commissioner.
Okiro said some of his peers in the Armed Forces were also disturbed by the promotion that they told him that the action would have engendered serious crisis if it were done in the military.
His words: "My friends in the military even called me to say that if such a thing was done in the military we would all kill ourselves".
Okiro suggested that the former president would have rewarded Ribadu with national honours award for his zeal to rid the nation of graft.
On the controversial exotic cars procured for the Police by the Presidential Equipment Fund, the IGP said they were bought without their prior knowledge hence they fell short of their requirement.
Okiro said if they had been approached before the vehicles were purchased, the Force would have opted for rugged operational vehicles rather than the luxury ones supplied.
"The 306 Peougeot vehicles were imposed on the Police by the Police Equipment Fund", he lamented.
On measures to rid the Police of corrupt officers, Okiro said there was need to improve on training and re-training of officers and men.
He blamed some privileged political office holders for influencing certain postings especially during months preceding election period.
Okiro suggested launching of massive arms and ammunition recovery programme as one of the ways to bring peace to the troubled region.
Other measures, he listed include the need for the Ministry of Niger Delta to immediately embark on mass oriented projects in the region.
Okiro said the other measures are the need to impress on all the need to eschew violence,
assure the people that all abandoned contracts will be completed and action must commence for them to see, make the people imbibe the culture of hard work and accept that there is dignity in labour, among others.