- Ibrahim Idris has rejected moves to subject future appointments of polices bosses to confirmation by the Senate
- Idris, inspector general of police, asked the lawmakers to remove provisions of a new bill that requires Senate confirmation of the appointments
- He maintained that the provisions of the bill are in consonance with the contents of the criminal justice system
Ibrahim Idris on Wednesday, December 5, during a public hearing by the Senate committee on police affairs on the officer reform bill asked the legislative to stay off the appointment of force chiefs in the country.
The Guardian reports that Idris, inspector general of police, said Senate intervention would politicise the force adding that the reduction would make the job of policing the country very difficult for the IGP.
He told the lawmakers: “You can’t police a people without their consent. The provisions of the bill are in consonance with the contents of the Criminal Justice System. The confirmation and removal of the IGP by the Senate is not necessary. It will politicise the police force. It should be expunged from the bill. The IGPs tenure of five years should be maintained.
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“The appointment of the IGP in consultation with Police Service Commission (PSC) is appropriate. There should not be any confirmation by the Senate. This is the desire and position of the police force. There should not be one DIG; there should be seven as we have already. Having one will put too much pressure on the IGP.”
In his own remarks, a former IGP and chairman of the PSC, Musiliu Smith, told the panel that rot in the police has worsened to disturbing levels and called for improved funding.
According to him, “We met the police when all the training schools were working. We met the police where you could not be promoted without writing an examination.
''We met the police where every policeman lived in the barracks. Criminals and hard drug bandits gave houses to some policemen. That needs to change. We should think of additional funding source for the police.
“In Lagos state, a governor came into office. He didn’t like what he met on ground. He invited some of us to change what was on ground. That was what gave birth to the Lagos State Police Trust Fund.
''We can’t tackle insecurity without this. Let us think of that. The annual yearly budget ritual can’t help. It will not take us anywhere. If you want a highly motivated police force, we should fund it adequately.”
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Senate president Bukola Saraki explained that the bill was meant to establish a cordial relationship between the police and the people.
Saraki, who was represented by deputy majority leader Bala Ibn Na’Allah stressed that the police require urgent reform. Na’Allah, who sponsored the bill, said it would “help to protect the police from politics and politicians.”
Tijjani Kaura, the chairman of the Senate committee on police affairs, said the bill “seeks to reposition the police force to serve the people better.” He commended President Muhammadu Buhari for increasing the salaries of police officers, expressing optimism that with an enabling law, the force would be better positioned.
Stakeholders at the hearing included representatives of the attorney general of the federation, Nigeria Prisons Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Customs Service and traditional rulers.
Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that the House of Representatives began an investigation into the allegation of non-compliance with provisions of the constitution in the promotion of some police officers by Ibrahim Idris.
The resolution was sequel to a motion by a member of the House of Representatives, Frederick Agbedi (PDP-Bayelsa) at the plenary presided over by the speaker, Yakubu Dogara, in Abuja.
Police Service Commission (PSC) and IGP Idris had clashed over moves by the former to demote about 1, 500 policemen who benefitted from the special promotion carried out by the IGP.
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Source: Legit.ng
