Follow Us on Google
Appointment not election, most often intoxicates, thereby unveiling the thoughts or mindset of the person.
Those with negative mindset usually seize the opportunity to either rock the boat of their predecessor or radically change the narrative already in existence.
The senario painted above graphically explains the situation each time security chiefs are appointed into office. Gospel message usually contravenes the already known norm of the people. Simply, the gospel message was all about change of behavior or what we regard today as behavioural change. So, it was gratifying to hear the newly appointed 22nd inspector General of police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, Although, his appointment did not suprise any follower of governance in Nigeria, where tribalism and ethnicity drive the appointment by leaders.
With his appointment, it is expected that all the senior deputy lnspector General of police may have to be retired, but wisdom can overrule instinct if comradeship can entertain better working relationship devoid of rancour and jealousy that would extend to “see finish” or disloyalty and disrespect instead of effective collaboration.
Egbetokun, before his elevation was incharge of Force Criminal Investigation Department(FCID) and one of the management team of the Nigeria police, who take decisions with the former lnspector General of Police Mr Usman Alkali Baba. As expected the management team serves as a pot pouri of security ideas on how to transform and move the police to a better level from quality of personels, to improved remunerations including welfare of personels and equipments.
However, the first outing of the acting lGP is raising hopes to many while others are not too impressed because of the rise and fall nature of police policies enutiated without any strict monitoring. Such hasty directives had been the hallmark of the first month of appointments of security leaders, and these orders usually do not yield any commensurate result. In his first meeting with mobile police commanders, Egbetokun announced the immediate withdrawal of all mobile police personels drafted to either political office holders or captains of industries. Renting each of these mobile police men to the money bags attracts money that only the lGP knows about, no wonder Egbetokun, although among the decision making team of the police, would not know of the actual sum derivable from renting the men to these money bags until he redirects the accrued funds from the official renting of the personels. lmagine, if there were three thousand mobile policemen rented out in a month at a charge of N50.000.(Fifty thousand naira) That sums to N150 million. The question then is, what happened to such amount and what is it used to solve in the police.
Observers were expecting the new lGP to immediately institute an inquiry into what happened to the rent money derived from mobile police postings.
While addressing officers of the Squadron, ºSpecial Protection units and Tactical Commanders .
These are mobile police officers with different nomenclatures, by forming a special squad. Since our democratic dispensation, the police had been enmeshed with the formation of ruthless police squads that have no regard for human lives thereby extending the relationship between the police and the people.
ln this case, Egbetokun plans to set aside 40,000 able bodied mobile police men to form the special squad to be shouldered with the onerous responsibility of tackling different shades of insecurity across the country, with the posting of a thousand men to each state? What a splendid idea that sounds fantastic on paper while the implementation looks like a tall dream. The question is, how mentally stable and how equipped are the mobile poiIce men he intends to draft to these insecured areas. Are these not the same malnourished , unpatriotic and morally bankrupt personels that are already used to good life?. How can you manage a man that is used to free delicious food from his master, only to suddenly reacclimatise him into an unfriendly atmosphere.
This, to many security observers, seem like a tall order. The IGP should be informed that most of the mobile police personels are already like weak battery and motor plugs. The society has influenced them to be money conscious. Many are still wearing the uniform as a means to an end. The initial interest had faded they are simply answering presence . No wonder, they often decline postings that are hazardous and not economically attractive. The lGP ought to know that the morale level of the police personels is nothing to write home about. There should be a consenscious and deliberate effort by the President Tinubu administration , to help the lGP to restore the integrity and morale of the police personnels with a conclusive determination to establish the most desired state police system just the way you recharge a weak battery and replace a dead plug. As enunciated in other write-ups, with state police, would find it extremely difficult to operate in any state not to talk of feathering their criminal nets in the state. Moreover, criminals find it impossible to operate in unfamiliar areas. Just as security personnels operate better in familiar terrain.
The one thousand deployment to each state would have helped to kick start the establishment of the state police system by decentralising the present policing system in the country. The more we shy away from this system of policing, the further we are to curbing insecurity around the country. The recent wake up actions of the police around the country is not enough to jestitioned a world acclaimed program that had over the years solved insecurity around the globe. If we are to analyse the lGP intensions, good and desirable as they may sound, the practicability is not tenable in today austerity situation facing the country. The question on the IGs table should be how to realistically fund the newly formed Egbetokun special squad, their feeding and equipment, accommodation and special remuneration.
(To Be Continued)
——————-
Apeh: The Abuja Radio sensation
On radio, he is called “Honourable Apeh the great” or “Speaker of Gidigba Assembly.” His sonorous voice resonates into the airwaves from, Eagles 102.3 FM Abuja from 7pm to 8:30pm every weekdays, into many homes in and around Abuja.
His ingenuity is outstanding like a dazzling star that attracts the attention of every eyes. This Benue born radio presenter has continued to dazzle Abuja radio listeners as virtually every caller on his security news program (Gidigba Assembly) shower encomiums in his unique style of presentation. Gidigba an imaginary Assembly where Mr Apeh holds sway as the speaker of the house where national issues are discussed with such a audacity that adds common reasoning to every discussion he dissect and analyzes, was the introduced into Abuja airwaves barely one and a half years but has been in existence in Kogi state for over 10 years, no wonder it’s popularity. issues of national importance are interpreted in pidgin that makes the listener continue to be attracted to the honey, his style of presentation has been described by many as unique,uncommon and trail blazer . Apeh the great comes to every listener of his program “Gidigba Assembly” as a spirit fiery preacher with special anointing as his captivate his listeners from Abuja, London , America and other parts of the world via the airwave and social media. Gidigba Assembly stands out like an Iroko tree that attracts different birds to rest just as millions stay glued to their radio deriving joy , laughing and learning from the depth of the reservoir of his wise counsel as they listen to his informative,educative and down to earth analyses that is lazed with raw wisdom with humour ladened analyses .
