Indications emerged on Tuesday that a massive shake-up is
imminent in the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) over the rising insecurity in some
parts of the country
News of the re-organisation was broken at a three-hour
meeting of Acting Inspector-General (IG) Mohammed Adamu with senators at the
National Assembly.
IG Adamu was invited last weekend by the Senate to brief the
Red Chamber on what the police have done to stop killings, kidnapping,
banditry, terrorism and other crimes.
The police boss was said to have told the senators that the
recent redeployment of top officers were part of efforts to tackle insecurity.
“The IG explained the new postings. He said the nation
should expect more postings in the ranks of Deputy Inspectors-General (DIGs),
Assistant Inspectors-General (AIGs) and Commissioners of Police (CPs) in few
weeks,” a source said.
The source, who pleaded for anonymity because he was not
allowed to talk to the media, went on: “The IG spoke on logistics. He solicited
the cooperation of all Nigerians in the fight against crimes, particularly
kidnapping.”
A senator, who gave an insight into the police chief’s
visit said he was bombarded with questions on the grave security situation.
The senator said: “Two issues agitated us as senators. These
are the Boko Haram insurgency and the spate of kidnapping across the country.
We asked him to give an assessment and he explained in details. He told us that
he is still new as IG and we understood that.”
For about three hours IG Adamu was on the spot at the upper
chamber.
The briefing was held behind closed doors “due to the
sensitive nature” of the issues under discussion.
Expectedly, the apparent breakdown of law and order in some
parts of the North topped the exchange between the lawmakers and the police
boss.
A source that was part of the discussion described the
presentation of the police boss as “grim”.
The source who said that “it was a session of reality for
us”, insisted that “those at the helm of affairs must act fast to rescue the
country from looming danger.”
“Questions were asked and answered by the police chief to
the best of his ability, I suppose,” the source said, declining to give further
details.
He said: “Because the issues are so grim to be discussed on
the pages of newspapers. It is a matter of taking steps to address teething
security challenges confronting the health of the nation and its security
network.
“You can see how the Senate President spoke about the
appearance of the police chief. We have to play safe because it is a security
matter.
“One thing that must be done and done urgently is that
action must be taken where necessary to rescue the nation from the stifling grip
of kidnappers and armed bandits. There may be no time to waste.”
The invitation of the police boss followed a motion by
Senator Shehu Sani (Kaduna Central), who spoke of increasing cases of banditry
and kidnapping, especially on the Abuja-Kaduna Highway.
Immediately the IG arrived at the National Assembly around
11.22am, he was ushered into the chamber around 11.25am by the Clerk to the
Senate in the company of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on
National Assembly Affairs, Senator Ita Enang.
Senate Leader Ahmed Lawan moved that the Order Paper should
be rearranged to enable the Senate to take the briefing of the IGP first.
The prayer was unanimously adopted. The briefing lasted till
2.45pm.
Senate President Bukola Saraki, who presided, said: “The
Senate, in a closed-door session, was briefed by the acting IGP on armed
banditry, kidnappings, robberies, terrorist activities, and other security
challenges in the country.
“The police should ameliorate the situation and the
challenges. We hereby hope to address the menace squarely.
“He (IGP) promised to address the areas that have to do with the discipline of officers that have been found wanting. Efforts will be taken to
improve on the situation, particularly on the Abuja-Kaduna axis and also on
areas of intelligence and technology.
“The Senate also promised and is committed that it is ready
at any time to give assistance to provide adequate funding that is required in
order to make the police to be able to combat the necessary threats to our
security.”
Adamu told reporters after the briefing that the police
would soon recruit 10,000 officers.
He also assured that any policeman found culpable in the
alleged raping and molestation of women arrested at various nightclubs will not
be spared.
Adamu said: “We are putting in place a strategy that works.
The Senate has appreciated what we have presented and they are willing to
enhance the strategy. The Senate has agreed to support all our activities to
make the country secure.
“Policing is dynamic. The number of personnel we have can
never be enough. But the government is trying to recruit every year. This year,
we have 10,000 to recruit. We will meet up with the required number.
“The information you got about giving N100 billion to
herdsmen to stop killing is from the social media. There was no discussion like
that. The source of that information is not yet known. It is somebody’s
imagination.
“The raiding of nightclubs in Abuja was done by FCT Task
Force. They came out to do their job and they reached out to police to support
them and we did that. Women were arrested and convicted. It means that they
committed an offence.
“The allegation that some policemen raped and molested them,
we will set up a panel to investigate the issues. Anybody caught will face the
law.”
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