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Legacy is a leader’s gift to humanity. It is a vision realised for the betterment of one’s immediate constituency. Legacy is the baby of a visionary leader. Or how best can one describe ideas that metamorphosed as a blessing or a problem-solver. That is how the introduction of the A-K 47, which is a modern weapon that is used by all security agencies around the world, was introduced by one of the best lGPs, Mike Okiro. He also brought the idea of the hand and shoulder badge that makes it possible for police officers to be easily identified by their squadron, or units or departments. Okiro was one IGP who can be ranked as one of the most resourceful IGP based on his visionary style of leadership. The present-day security arrangements in all bank entrance doors are bullet proof and use of bullet proof vans for the movement of cash by banks in the country were his ideas to find a lasting solution and to reduce the incessant robbery attacks on banks. His caring nature saw him raising the salary structure of police officers to what it is today that makes more youths to desire joining the force.
He also showed his mastery in crime management when he introduced and extended the police public relations to all police divisions, including the establishment of human rights offices and juvenile/women affairs offices. These earned him commendations from Amnesty International and Nigerian Women Society. Okiro it was who introduced the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to the Nigeria Police Force.
While some lGPs look into the future, others go out of their mandate and devote all their attention to crumble and tarnish the policies of their predecessor. Observers are left with no other option than to advise with caution and wait for the comments and conclusions of history
Though devastating to see an IGP make the policies of his predecessors, as his first assignment while stepping into office to demolish instead of articulating more superior ideas to improve on what he met on the ground, including the lot of the police officers.
Such action is a waste of time, a waste of energy, a waste of resources and a waste of idea. No matter how bad a policy is, much effort must have been invested into it.
According to Muhammadu Dahiru Abubakar, a former Inspector General of Police, in an interview with this writer said: “Targeting the policies and achievements of your predecessor is simply an action in futility. Instead, l would advise the leader to either look for areas of defect in the policy that is amendable and go ahead to improve on it. After all, we are appointed to serve the police and the people”. Unfortunately, MD Abubakar’s introduction of the camouflaged uniform was terminated by his successor, Mr. Suleiman Abba, who saw nothing impressive in a police officer on special operational assignment to be camouflaged. The same was the jettisoning of Okiro’s idea that no official car should have its plate number covered to avoid illegal use of such vehicles. There are many of such policy jettisoning, which are based on “ bad belle”.
Some lGPs’ records were completely blank with no trace of an iota of a reformative policy or noticeable achievement accredited to them. It was discovered that they only go to the office, hold meetings, see visitors, approve contracts, collect their percentage and travel around, waiting for either their handover date or are retired unceremoniously. When an lGP is purposeful, he hits the ground working immediately, so was MD Abubakar, who gave police structures around the country modern look. He established the Police Mortgage Bank and the Police Pension Scheme. He saw the importance of setting up the Police Hall of Fame and a rich museum at the Force Headquarters Abuja. The upgrading of the foreign mission to a directorate of international standard was Abubakar’s legacy. The modernised medical units around the country were his initiative. Today, the successes being recorded in the area of kidnapping and robbery are the solid foundations laid by the wise IGP, Solomon Arase. Despite building on the solid foundation of intelligence-led-policing of Arase, the present lGP, Ibrahim Idris has a lot of work to do, to convince historians, security watchers and the general public that he is truly fit for the office that over twenty other officers were swept away into sudden retirement for him to occupy the seat. Most of the simple challenges facing the country like the deadly incursions of the Fulani herdsmen and the numerous internal agitations that are threatening the security of the country are yet to be addressed. No IGP is an island on his own. It is a sad commentary to hear one of the oldest lGPs, Aliyu Attah, say to this writer in an interview, “l don’t know the present lGP. l live few metres away from his office; l have never seen him with my eyes.”
In leadership, consultation matters, and the experience of past lGPs cannot be wished away on the platform of personal animosity or grievance. The lGP needs to be reminded that the rate of kidnapping and insecurity in the country had gone up. Despite the recent success, he should be aware that history is already recording and the clock is ticking away for another administration and another IGP to take over. One hopes he gears up and presents a good scorecard to Nigerians and to history.
Concluded
SECURITY FILE commiserates with one of our great fans, former Police Director of Foreign Missions, DCP Lawal Tanko Jimeta, whose father passed on at a ripe age of 80 years in Yola, Adamawa State. Pa Tanko Jimeta was a businessman and grassroots philanthropist. May he rest in peace.
