As the 2019 general elections draw near, the Network of Police reforms in Nigeria (NOPRIN) has called on the acting Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu to ensure that Police officers at the zonal, state commands and Divisions are vigilant as well as operate within the established rules of engagement during and after the polls.
The National Coordinator of NOPRIN, Mr. Okechukwu Nwanguma who made the call in a press briefing in Lagos today also called on the IGP Adamu to effectively monitor the activities and conducts of political parties, politicians and individuals to ensure that everyone played by the electoral rules.
Nwanguma advised that the police should provide equal security for all Nigerians and work with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that everyone who breached the electoral law during campaigns or during and after the elections was arrested and brought to justice according to the law.
He counseled that the police should continue to work with strategic stakeholders including other security agencies providing complimentary elections security services, INEC, Civil Societies especially in the areas of conducting security threat assessment and monitoring the electoral process and the media.
In his words, “The police are the guardians of the rule of law. They have the greatest responsibility for safety and security which enables all stakeholders to play their various legitimate roles in the electoral process and enable eligible citizens to exercise their franchise in a free, fair and peaceful atmosphere that guarantees the credibility of the elections”.
The NOPRIN boss pointed out that the advice became necessary as they were not unaware that the new acting IGP, like others before him would come under pressure from politicians of all divides to do their biddings which may entail deviating from the path of professionalism, neutrality and integrity even as he observed that they knew that the IGP came with a pedigree, impressive credential and enormous goodwill.
He reminded him that expectations were very high on him to return the Nigeria police to its lost glory.
He said, “The very first acts by the newly appointed IGP portray him as a scrupulous and principled officer who is committed to professionalism and is determined to ‘clean the Augean stable’, erase the damaging dent put on the image and institutional integrity of the NPF by his corrupt and unscrupulous predecessor.
“The acting IGP’s reversal of some politically motivated transfers of some command CPs hurriedly carried out by his immediate predecessor just few days to his exit, the appointment of round pegs in round holes in various strategic operational and administrative positions at the Force Headquarters are indicative of a man with sound management orientation.
“His decentralization of the command and control of the notorious SARS, disbandment of the numerous other notorious outfits created by his predecessor whose activities led to increase in corruption and human rights abuse and the initiation of a process of consultation with stakeholders on how to strategically and comprehensively reorganize the police are other commendable initial steps taken by the new IGP”.
Nwanguma maintained that every newly appointed acting IGP in Nigeria, usually faced the dilemma of either acting to support democracy or serving regime interest especially as his confirmation depended on the president who appointed him while recalling that some in the past had opted to succumb to partisan pressure thereby throwing professionalism and public interest overboard.
“The pressure is not usually easy to resist but it takes character, conviction and commitment to deal with”, he cautions.
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