By Olusola Fabiyi, Abuja
Published: Saturday, 24 Jan 2009
The Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro, has warned policemen to stop flouting his orders.





Okiro, who spoke in Gusau, Zamfara State on Wednesday, during his monthly conference with senior police officers from the rank of commissioner and above, accused some police officers of writing petitions to extort money from people.

He said that despite his orders prohibiting the use of covered number plates, a Deputy Inspector-General of Police still had the effrontery to report for work at the Force Headquarters, Abuja in a vehicle covered plates. Okiro, who was visibly angry, lamented that the DIG, whom he did not name, was among the top cadre of the Nigeria Police.

Okiro said he would have impounded the DIG’s vehicle but the plea for leniency by another senior officer made him to change his mind. Okiro said, “When I gave the January 1 deadline prohibiting people from using siren, people thought it was a joke. It is unfortunate that even officers come to the FHQ with a covered number plate. Even a DIG, who is number 12 in the hierarchy of police officers in the country, came to the FHQ with covered number plate. A number 12 police officer! I would have impounded the vehicle and asked the officer to trek home, or go and take a taxi. Now, how do you expect such an officer to go back to his command or zone and relate whatever instructions I give to his subordinates?”

The IG also said that he was dismayed that officers had ignored his earlier directive that area commanders should conduct inspection tours on a quarterly basis and send their reports to him.

Looking at the officers, he said, “This directive has not been complied with, as available records show that many of them prefer to forward theirs through the command headquarters. The DPOs do send their newsletters to my officer. So what is new in this directive on tour inspection reports?

“Henceforth, command commissioners should warn their area commanders to adhere strictly to this directive. The tour of inspection is part of the check and balance initiative of the present police administration, so that the execution of our crime prevention and control strategies or work plan is effectively monitored down to the divisional levels.”

He attributed the high traffic of petitions to his office to the selfish interests of some police officers. He therefore said that he had constituted a monitoring committee to visit the various commands and check all abandoned cases, adding that he had also noticed that 70 per cent of the hard knocks the police received from the public was due to their ability to prevent crime.

He said, “Also, abandoned case files and sponsored petitions are on the increase. Policemen write petitions and direct such petitions to themselves, with the sole aim of extorting money from people. That has to stop forthwith. Anyone caught with that will be dealt with.” Frowning at the involvement of officers in several cases in 2008, which he said made the police to pay about N502 million as damages, he warned that officers and the rank-and-file that incurred lawsuits against the Nigeria Police would be suspended.

He also warned that affected officers and the rank-and-file might be dismissed at the conclusion of the suit. Okiro said the Nigeria Police could not afford to waste money on lawsuits when it was in dire need of funds for its numerous needs.

Okiro said, “The huge amount of money that the Force incurred on Ganishee orders last year will no longer be allowed to repeat itself. Henceforth, police officers who incur legal action against the Force due to their non-adherence to these directives will face stringent punishments, up to dismissal.”

Meanwhile, the Executive Director, CLEEN Foundation, Mr. Innocent Chukwuma, has said that policemen in Lagos endure the worst working conditions in West Africa. The United Nations News Agency, IRIN, quoted Chukwuma as saying in an interview that “less than 10 per cent of police officers have official accommodation in barracks or privately rented apartments. Many others sleep in broken-down vehicles or vehicles they seize from people; others sleep in their offices.”

He added, ”If you look at the range of weapons available to the police, what is supposed to be used as a last resort - the gun - is often used as first. In traffic situations or during riot control, you see them (police) brandishing AK-47s.”

IRIN also quoted an unnamed police sergeant as saying that they had to depend on bribes to survive. The riot policeman said, “We fuel our patrol vehicles by raising our own money from the public. We buy almost everything ourselves; torches, even our belts and boots.”

Seems like the only indiscipline that Sir Mike Okiro, Mr Parry Osayande and the Minister of Police Affairs can handle is that of Mr. Ribadu.
I hope somebody will teach our Policemen how to wear their Police Uniform. Even the NURTW Agberos are sensible enough to put on their uniforms so why not Okiro's men.

the police is ur friend