New IG serves notice on Boko Haram, pledges change

IGI did my best, says Ringim

HIS work appears well cut out for him for few Nigerians would dispute the point that the Boko Haram insurgency was his predecessor’s albatross.

And so, evidently taking his cue from the groundswell of popular expectations trailing his appointment, the 16th indigenous Inspector General of Police (IG), Mohammed Dahiru Abubakar, yesterday assumed office with a pledge to run the Boko Haram insurgents out of town and turn the Nigeria Police into a security outfit worthy of the most populous black nation on earth.

Abubakar, who arrived to a tumultuous welcome by officers and men of the Police at the Louis Edet House headquarters of the Force, said he was not a stranger to the problems of the Police and vowed to remove all impediments to effective policing.

But, perhaps getting the feeling that he was ending his own career in a whimper, the out-gone IG, Hafiz Ringim, yesterday at the hand-over event said no matter what anyone felt, he delivered on his mandate.

Perhaps seeking to take the wind out of the sail of his detractors, Ringim also declared that he left the Police on his own terms, submitting that on his own volition, he asked President Goodluck Jonathan to allow him proceed on pre-retirement leave.

At the event, Abubakar said: “I am indeed delighted today that the Almighty God, in His wisdom, has shown us this day. I will not want to tell you that I have a speech for now because I am taking over. I want to be fully briefed about the challenges and the difficulties and the facts facing the Nigeria Police today. I am not a newcomer to it. I cannot run away from the fact that there are a lot of challenges but I do know that we have challenges that are of high impact. I want to assure all Nigerians that this administration will be different from any other administration because every officer and men of the Nigeria Police will belong to the same family.”

Stating his priorities, the new IG said: “We shall focus on areas of interest, which we know the Police are lacking – training and retraining programme, welfare scheme and the challenges of fighting crime in this country. We shall go to every nooks and crannies of this country and do what is expected of us in respect of fighting crime and criminality. This administration will not tolerate any, and I mean any, act of indiscipline, act of corruption and I intend to live by good example.

“Therefore, officers and men of the Police will hold positions and postings based on their competence and ability to perform. All officers will be assessed based on their performance and not based on who you are by name.”

Stressing his determination to fight crime in the country, Abubakar said: “I did say we shall fight crime in all its ramifications, crime and criminality. Whatever name you give it, whether it is Boko Haram or armed robbery. We shall fight crime in all its ramifications. I cannot do this job without my officers and men. There is no commander without troops. Therefore, we shall do what we shall do and you will be there to see what we shall do but we need prayers because whatever you want to do, you need to pray.

“We have worked in some other places. We demonstrated it and we intend to demonstrate it here and we intend to do more.”

However, Abubakar stated: “Take note that there is one big problem that we have – the Police are going to undergo serious restructuring. You are aware of the police committee set up by Mr. President. We are going to work together with them to ensure that Nigerians have the Police Force that they deserve; that will respect the rule of law; that will be honest, committed and fair in the discharge of their responsibilities.

“We are going to place our Police colleges and training institutions on a very serious tasking challenge for them to be able to train our officers and men.

“I am going to declare a state of emergency in all the training institutions so that we can look at the facilities, the staff and what they have on ground. We cannot take policemen to institutions that are bad; that are tattered. Empowerment is lacking and so you cannot produce good Police officers from there.”

In his speech, Ringim said: “I will cease to be the Inspector General of Police from the time I hand over to him. I have done my bit within the period that Mr. President has graciously deemed it fit to appoint me as Inspector General of Police.

“I told you what I was going to do and to some extent, I did the best I could. I gave this challenge the best shot and I sincerely believe that I succeeded to a very large extent. Any one could contend that; I will not begrudge them. But I sincerely believe that under my leadership, the Nigeria Police creditably well discharged their functions and obligations. In this regard, I will pray that God Almighty, will afford the gentleman that sits on my left (Abubakar) also the opportunity and the wisdom to steer the ship of the Nigeria Police Force.”

Ringim added: “You are all aware that upon my request to Mr. President to commence my leave pending retirement, it became necessary for Mr. President to appoint a new Inspector General of Police. Because of the fact that I needed to go on pre-retirement leave, which letter I wrote to His Excellency, Mr. President, and which approval I also received from Distinguished Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, it became necessary to appoint a new Inspector General of Police. That Inspector General of Police is Mr. Mohammed Dahiru Abubakar. I took time to brief him and of course, as I said, briefing a new Inspector General of Police could take more than that, considering the task ahead of him.

“But that being the case, we have successfully discussed and I have briefed him on what I know so far to be his duties and responsibilities. I have placed him on notice also on the enormous responsibility that lies ahead of him. It is my sincere wish, ladies and gentlemen, that you will, in the wisdom that you have, give him the same support and encouragement as well as the assistance that you gave me in order for him to succeed. The task is an enormous one. In this regard, I will also solicit for the support of our friends, our colleagues, brothers and sisters, the media men who choose to make and unmake, I sincerely wish you will give him the support that he needs. He definitely needs your support,” he said.