OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI
01/21/21
President Mohammad Buhari, GCFR, Commander-In-Chief,
Federal Republic of Nigeria.
QUEST FOR A NEW IGP
Our dear President, as insecurity plagues the nation and having had two consecutive IGPs of northern extraction, it will be fair and just for the President to look toward the South for a new IGP.
I humbly and respectfully use this medium to suggest that the President and C-In-C of Nigeria (not of a section of Nigeria) to rise above board and disregard ethnic agendas for national interest in the appointment of a new IGP as any appointment that wears ethnic or sectional garb will do irreparable damage to any credibility you have left and throw the NPF into turmoil.
Your Excellency, you signed into an Act- the new Police Reform Bill, which some interests are now looking for ways to circumvent (pressuring the PSC to promote serving Commissioners of Police to rank of AIGs, so one of them will be appointed the IGP after IGP M. Adamu).
Meanwhile, there are currently 8 DIGs and 29 AIGs on the Police Seniority before the rank of Commissioners of Police which will result in the retirement 29 AIGs aside the 8 DIGs going with IGP Adamu.
As Your Excellency searches from amongst the DIGs and AIGs with the requisite qualifications to be the new IGP in accordance with the new Act, Sir, permit me to cite here relevant clauses from the new Act in our quest.
“Part 111- APPOINTMENT, REMOVAL, FUNCTIONS AND POWERS, ETC. OF INSPECTOR-GENERAL POLICE:
Clauses 7(2) The person to be appointed as Inspector-General of Police shall be a Senior Police Officer not below the rank of an Assistant Inspector-General of Police with the requisite academic qualifications of not less than a first degree or its equivalent in addition to professional and management experience.
Clause 7(6) The person appointedto the Office of the Inspector-General of Police shall hold Office for Four (4) years subject to the provision clause 18(8).
Clause 18(8)Â Every Police Officer shall, on recruitment or appointment, serve in the Nigeria Police Force for a period of 35 years or until he attains the age of 60 years, whichever is earlier”.
Your Excellency, I crave your indulgence as I seek answers to the following questions:
Sir, is it that we do not have at least one amongst the current AIGs with at least four (4) years or more in service with other requisite qualifications, professional and management experience to be appointed the new IGP?
Does a CP have more professional and management experience than an AIG?
Why do we have to go to the rank of a COMPOL, promote him to the rank of an AIG for the purpose of making him an IGP?
What will happen to the 29 AIGs, even the ones with more than four(4) years in service?
How about appointing an AIG from the South with more than four (4) years in service and relevant qualifications into the Office of an IGP, having had two from the North?
Is anything wrong with a Southerner becoming an IGP, after two IGPs from the North, Sir?
Who is afraid of an IGP from the South at this time and why, Sir?
Our dear President, the effort to promote a CP to the rank of an AIG in order to make someone from a particular section of the country or ethnic nationality will be inimical to the police reform which we all seek. It will amount to promotion of sectional interest, inarguably so in the light of recent events. The uproar that might follow, could lead to a worse than the #ENDSARS protest and #ENDNEPOTISM drawing sympathy far and wide. Would it not be nepotic to search for a candidate from the Northern section of the country when you have qualified Southern candidate to replace the outgoing Northern IGP?
Sir, this will deepen sectional complex, distrust, divisions and disunity.
Kindly, allow the new Police Act, to guide you, Sir. We are very much aware of pressure being mounted at ensuring a Northerner is appointed as the new IGP against a Southerner, who is the most qualified, for selfish interest promoting ethnic and sectional sentiments. This, against the fact that we have had two consecutive IGPs from the North without any objection from the South.
Please, Mr President, resist the temptation and do what is right – abide by the Law which you signed to promote the much needed trust and believe at this moment in your government and personal integrity, Sir.
Please, accept the assurances of my esteemed regards.
Respectfully Yours,
Owen Hercules, PhD+
