From Chuks Okocha in Abuja amd Hammed Bodunrin in Osogbo with agency report, 01.19.2005
Wednesday, January 19, 2005
Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Nuhu Ribadu, yesterday confirmed that his Commis-sion’s investigation into the alleged corrupt practices of the former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Tafa Balogun led to his sudden retirement.
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Ribadu’s confirmation has put to rest doubts over whether the former IG voluntarily retired or was forced to do so following his alleged ownership of over N1 billion lodged at the Fountain Trust Bank.
Speaking on BBC Hausa service yesterday, Ribadu said: “It’s the work we carried out which led to the government taking that decision.”
He said his commission is investigating allegations that the former IG had large sums of money in that bank.
Balogun’s successor Deputy Inspector General Sunday Ehindero, who took over immediately in an acting capacity, reportedly said. “I am surprised by the development.”
According to the BBC’s Yusuf Sarki Muhammad, the police boss gave no hint about his impending retirement on Monday morning at a ceremony in Abuja to decorate recently promoted police officers.
However the people of Ila-orangun, Balogun’s country home described the retirement of their son as shocking.
Several people who became pensive on hearing the news of his retirement, viewed his contribution to the development of the town as remarkable.
When our correspondent visited the Orangun of Ila-palace, the traditional ruler of the town, Oba Wahab Oyedotun was away to Saudi-Arabia for Holy Pilgrimage.
Most of the residents who spoke with our correspondent in anonymity yesterday condemned the manner in which Balogun retired from having served this present government meritoriously.
They said that, “Tafa Balogun has contributed to the economic development of Nigeria and should have been honoured than to retire him prematurely from the service.”
I his own comment, a member of Osun State House of Assembly, representing Ila-Orangun state constituency, Hon. Ismail Kolawole said that, “I am sad for the early retiring of Mr. Tafa Balogun as the Inspector General of Police.”
He said that “Nigeria will forever remember him for his contribution to the sustaining of the nascent democracy especially on the peaceful conduct of 2003 general elections in the country.
Meanwhile, on assuming duty yesterday at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, Ehindero pledged to flush out incompetent and unqualified officers from the Police.
"There must be a square peg in a square hole," Ehindero said at his maiden meeting with the police high command.
He said the Mobile Police Force needs total overhaul while assuring that crime will be reduced to its barest minimum.
The new police boss, who took over from Balogun following the latter's submission of a notice of retirement Monday said, "I think we need a lot of reorganisation. We don't need tailors and carpenters in the Mobile Police Force, all the Squadron Commanders will be directed to take a census of those people who are in the Mobile Police Force, with a view to weeding out those people who are not supposed to be there."
The new police boss said: "look at the composition of the PMF, we need 100 policemen in the PMF and when you ask for a unit, you can only get 25 or 40, we now go to the existing states where we have only 51 or 53 as the case may be. Most of you know about shepherd, a good shepherd knows his sheep by name, if you ask people who are here, who are Fulani, they know that the cattle, each one has its own name, that is how a squadron commander, a unit commander must know his men; he knows the one that would be used if the situation is hard, he knows the one that he will use to mediate, we are going to look at all these."
He said the era where neophytes would be assigned to investigate criminal offences is gone, and that 'tailors' will no longer be sent to carry out serious investigations.
On police image, Ehindero said, "we have to look at our image because a philosopher says, take everything that I have, leave my image intact, if you take my image and leave me with everything, I am nothing, so we must do something about the image, it is not necessarily laundering it."
Ehindero said special attention must be focused on illegal police check points.
"Seme border and Mile 2 have more than 10 checkpoints," the new police chief queried, "What image are we giving to the international community? Of course you know what they do at those checkpoints, we are more than ever prepared to bring sanity to that sector of this country."
Ehindero said a six-point programme that will form the crux of his tenure is in the works. "I have fashioned out a 6-point programme. The 6-point programme is still in draft form. My DIGs (Deputy Inspector Generals) will have them and then contribute and see how we can make it so that it becomes a workable strategy to the development of the Nigeria Police Force."
On the need to have qualified police personnel, the new police boss said, "we are not going to put a tailor to go and investigate, we must have the census of all those people with professional knowledge, accountants, insurance officers, bankers, all of them, we have them, we will make use of them and nobody will be routinely posted to CID unless he has something to offer."
He continued "Of course you have some experienced men, it is not the paper qualification, there are some that are really experienced, detectors, of course we do that when we were posted there, by and large, it has been established that in all jurisprudence, we need a very viable intelligence outfit, our intelligence outfit will be galvanised, it is the basis for investigation, by the time you have good intelligence, this thing is made a very simple job, without intelligence, it is like roofing in the dark, you go by trial and error."
He said, "I intend to have inter-agency co-operation. I intend to bring into policing, scientific investigation, our forensic science outfit must be functional and a professional person who had been trained will be made to handle that outfit, out training institution will be well equipped, must also have the teaching aids, the staff must be motivated and only those with capability to impart knowledge will be posted there. Gone are the days where you are posted there for one reason or the other."
Ehindero while commending Balogun said he intends to run the affairs of the police in partnership with the relevant agencies.
"I intend to call the Minister of Police Affairs, the Chairman, Police Service Commission and others because we have the same objective. I intend to go along with them, in partnership so that this force may move forward," he said.
Ehindero said he had no prior knowledge of his appointment, as he was in Jos to conduct interview for the ASP promotion course when the announcement promoting him as the acting Inspector General of Police was made.
Ehindero, while decrying vandalisation of police properties by the public following any provocation, pledged to improve the Police/Public relations.
He called on his colleagues to see his new position as that of first among equals.
Earlier there was a mild drama when Ehindero arrived the Louis Edet Police Headquarters.
At exactly 1.45 pm, when he entered into the Conference room of the Force Headquarters, he was greeted by an unusual applause by members of the Police Management Team.
Immediately Ehindero sat down on the seat hitherto occupied by Balogun, the Force Public Relations Officer, Deputy Commissioner of Police Chris Olakpe called for prayers.
He specifically called on Kingsley Omire, an Assistant Commissioner of Police to say the opening prayer for the meeting to commence.
Omire in the course of the prayers said, "God we thank you for today's occasion. We thank you for the triumph of light over darkness." And all members of the Police Management Team chorused a big "Amen"
He continued, "Lord, we pray that every voice against this change be silent permanently and shame to the opposition" and again all members chorused, Amen."
When THISDAY asked Ehindero to explain the concept of light over darkness Omire's prayers he replied thus: "Please ask the man that said the prayers."
"Don't misinterpret the darkness, and light in this matter. It is in the scripture. I am not the light. It is He who puts me here is the light. The light is something that will further the raison detat of the Police. I am here to serve and put a smile on the face of people. I am here today, tomorrow, I may not be here."
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