In
any political system, one of the most important and irreplaceable institution
is the policing sector. The law itself is lawless if there is nobody to enforce
it.
The
legislative arm of a government is traditionally saddled with the law making
process, with adjudicatory functions assigned to the judiciary. However, in all
of this processes, the law's teeth is felt only when it's tenets are executed,
it's sanctions meted or enforced by a policing organ usually under the direct
supervision of the executive.
The
simple analysis above gives fibre to the concern that due attention needs be
given to the unfolding but unfortunate underdevelopment in the Nigerian Police
Force, especially under this adminstration, if we hope to have this institution
survive the battery of unprofessional and immoral malfeasance visited on it by
its lead personnel - IGP Ibrahim Idris Kpotum.
Without
mincing words, it is analytically trite that if the head is rotten, other body
parts soon stink from the mess. A questionable head/leader cannot oversee an
un-questionable agency for his foot soldiers or subordinates would find
justification for their evil acts or actions in the negative trajectory of the
leader. IGP Ibrahim Idris Kpotum has demonstrated just that- a hubris for
power, an unbridled lascivious zest, a lack of keen-ness for service, crowning
it all with an inadequacy in exemplary character that almost vindicates past
examples of terrible Inspector Generals of the Nigeria Police Force.
The
rather embarrassing allegations levied against the Inspector General of Police
Ibrahim Idris has bequeathed the law enforcement sector with quantum ignominy
that has made sanity to be a forgotten story. Mind you, the allegations against
the IGP precedes his tenure-ship in the Force's top position and has only now
been magnified by the scale of his new operation.
Perhaps
as a warning peek into his burgeoning notoriety, Nigerians were treated to the
lopsided promotion scandal that trailed the police sector born out of the IGP's
nepotism and innate disregard for due process. So large in scale was the
back-dealing by the IGP that numerous spinmasters of the agency tripped over
themselves in a failed bid to spin a yarn for public consumption. If that was
an 'inglorious' outing by the then newly appointed head of the Nigeria Police
Force, we were all soon to see even deeper into the labyrinth of his parochial
mind and his evil enterprise for the Police Force.
In
2016, several senior and mid-level police officers provided SaharaReporters
with a list of grave acts of corruption allegedly committed by
Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Kpotun Idris. The officers, some of
them retired but most still in active service, stated that the IGP’s notoriety
for embezzlement of funds, frequent abandonment of his post, and sexual
liaisons with subordinates preceded his time as the Commissioner of Police for
Kano State.
As
at then, the allegations raised serious questions about Mr. Idris’s fitness to
lead the Police Force in the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari with
its vow to build public trust in institutions. He has not disappointed the
aforesaid allegations as he seemed to have perpetrated more corrupt practices
after he assumed the apex office.
About
two months ago, there were serious corruption allegations levelled against the
person of Idris Ibrahim. The allegation has it that Billions of Naira that
could had been useful for adequate equipment of men of the Nigeria Police Force
were singlehandedly 'cornered' by the IGP.
It
is also disheartening to hear that about N120 billion generated through special
security services to corporate bodies, such as oil firms, and highly placed
individuals were unduly siphoned by this same single individual at a time the
country is wallowing in scorching recession.
Also,
the IGP is noted to take fun from undermining other senior officers. It was
alleged that the posting of mobile police officers is now done in the IGP’s
office even though there are Commissioners of Police in charge of mobile force
and Special Protection Unit postings. He prefers his 'boys' to do everything
while jettisoning the due process.
Another
alarming allegation against Mr. Idris is related to the unlawful sale of thirty
vehicles. “Idris should be investigated on (sic) the circumstances leading to
the disappearance of about 30 vehicles which are known to have been released to
fictitious claimants,” one serving police officer said.
All
these raise the question of sanity in the law enforcement sector. In a sane society,
anybody with just one out of the above mentioned allegations would be barred
from the public terrain not to mention holding public office. There are
sufficient grounds to subject IGP Idris Kpotum Ibrahim to thorough
investigation with sanctions meted out as due.
One
needs to ask the question whether the Federal Government is afraid to intervene
in this pathetic situation to save the Nigeria Police Sector from total
collapse. There are simply too many bold allegations against his person to be
swept under the carpet , except this administration want to further suffer the
indictment of being a harbour to which the criminal minded scurry to for
protection and favour. IGP Ibrahim Idris does not deserve rto occupy even the
position of a corporal not to talk of the IGP until he clears himself of the
allegations against him.
Finally,
I admit that there are more personalities like Idris Ibrahim in the Police
Sector, but I must argue that making the IGP a scapegoat may be the first route
to a general overhaul of the police as an institution. For the sake of
sanitization, the Federal Government should sack Ibrahim Idris now, and let us
stop progressing in error. The Nigerian Police Force deserve someone with
proven integrity, track records and a passion for service and not self-service.
Pelumi
Olajengbesi Esq. is a public interest lawyer and the Principal Partner of
Pelumi Olajengbesi & Co. LAW CORRIDOR.
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