Policemen fraternise with criminals – Officers, others now to spend 2 years at duty posts

Posted by admin Headlines, Nigerian Police Monday, August 6th, 2012

WORRIED by the growing insecurity in the country and the inability of the police to curtail the ugly development, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Muhammed Abubakar, has ordered the immediate transfer of all general duty police personnel of all ranks in all formations and commands, including Police Training institutions, who had spent more than two years in their present duty stations.

The order was contained in a police signal with Ref.CB:4092/FS/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.1/20 dated 2nd August, 2012 and signed by the force secretary, Assistant Inspector General of Poice, Dan’Azumi J Doma, which was copied all Deputy Inspectors General of Police (DIGs), Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIGs), zonal headquarters, commandants of police colleges and state Police Commissioners, among others, for immediate action.

According to the signal, which was obtained exclusively by the Nigerian Tribune on Monday, the IGP lamented that some general duty officers and other ranks had stayed more than 10 years in their present duty posts and as such some officers “tend to fraternise with criminals in their localities.”

He said, ”as a result of unhealthy familiarisation they have been reduced to local land speculators, local politicians or get mixed up in family or chieftaincy tussles.”

According to him,”the above highlighted issues, to say the least, do not only adversely affect the efficiency and effectiveness of the Force in the discharge of its statutory duties, but limit the optimum utilisation and deployment of personnel, as well as hamper their exposure on the various aspects of the profession.”

Following this development, the IGP directed that henceforth, ”the normal tenure of service for general duty police personnel of all ranks in all formations and commands, including police training institutions should not exceed two years” except otherwise permitted by him.

In addition, ”the IGP directs that officers and men should not be repeated on the same duty post earlier vacated until it is absolutely necessary.”

Though the Force Public Relatons Officer (FPRO), Mr Frank Mba, could not be immediately reached for comments, a very senior officer at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, confirmed the story in confidence to the Nigerian Tribune, saying that it was part of the ongoing efforts to reposition the police for greater efficiency.

via Tribunewp_posts