Ndudi Anyim
The Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba has challenged the Police Service Commission (PSC), to go beyond the recruitment and promotion of officers, but assert its authority to make the Nigeria Police Force better.
Baba who was speaking during a visit to the Commission, also pledged his loyalty and support to the Commission, to give the nation an ideal and vibrant Police Force.
Stating that the Force will be happy to work with products of the Commission’s recruitment, the IGP said the 35 Police training schools in the country should be made busy with all year programmes.
“ The Commission should go ahead to produce the Police Force the nation needs using the reward and punishment procedure, because the area of discipline has been neglected in the Force, ” he said.
Speaking on his part, the Police Service Commission said partnership between the Commission and the Nigeria Police Force is needed to deal with security challenges in the country.
According to the Chairman of the Commission, retired Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Musiliu Smith, who received in audience the IGP and the Management team of the Nigeria Police Force, said both agencies need each other.
Smith therefore called for a harmonious and productive working relationship between the two government agencies in the interest of the Nation.
The PSC boss who prayed for a successful tenure of office for the acting Inspector General of Police assured him of the Commission’s guidance and support but noted that the IGP should listen and carry his management team along in the discharge of his duties.
“ You should encourage and benefit from team work with your management team; let them be free to advise you; listen to them. For the management team, be truthful to the IGP, give him his due respect and the Nigeria Police will make a lot of progress.
Alhaji Smith also revealed that the recruitment into the Nigeria Police Force will soon begin after little details relating to the exercise are properly straightened and all issues resolved in the interest of both the Commission and the Nigeria Police Force and in the greater interest of the Nation.
He decried the proliferation of investigative units in the Nigeria Police Force and demanded that the acting IGP should quickly look into it to save the Police Force of the huge embarrassments these Units bring to the Force.
He said there must be proper and close monitoring of Police investigative units to stem the atrocities its officials commit in the line of duty stressing the need to quickly treat cases of misconduct by these Officers so that those found wanting are brought to book.
“ It is this set of Officers that have continued to damage the image of the Force and you should quickly get these bad eggs out of the Force. You should also ensure sanity among the ranks and file and even the officers, ” he advised.
While stating that training should also be one of the priority programmes of the acting IGP, including building strong intelligence base so as to detect and control crime, the PSC boss called for the revival of the Police Detective College in Enugu so that it will provide the required platform for training in intelligence gathering.
He further spoke on the need for DPO’s to return to their responsibilities of doing visiting rounds and also emphasised the need for revival of workshops and communication in Police Commands.