FEBRUARY 6, 2012 BY OLUSOLA FABIYI
A former Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro, has said Nigerians have lost confidence in the Police.
Okiro said the bombing of the Force Headquarters and several other police stations across the country had also proved that men of the Force were incapable of policing themselves.
He said it would be difficult for the police to prove to Nigerians that its men were capable of providing security for them when they (policemen) are unable to protect themselves.
Okiro, who spoke on a television programme monitored by our correspondent in Abuja on Sunday, also enumerated some of the challenges that the Acting IG, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, would face.
The former police boss said, “He should focus on so many things. He has come at a time that the Force is facing so many challenges.
“He has to regain the confidence of Nigerians in the Police because Nigerians have lost confidence in the Police, which is very sad.
“If you lose confidence in someone who is going to protect you, it is sad. That is (the loss of confidence) excusable if the Force Headquarters could be bombed, it is sad.
“There is a saying that you cannot give what you don’t have. If you cannot protect yourself, who then do you protect?
“If you cannot protect your offices, who are you going to protect? People have lost confidence (in the Police) and MD Abubakar has a lot to do.
“He has lots of work to do to check crime, terrorism, the sagging morale in the Force and the confidence Nigerians have lost in the Police. He has a tall order and I pray for him and wish him well.”
Okiro said the circumstances that surrounded the escape of Kabiru Sokoto, the Christmas Day bombing suspect, was unbelievable.
He wondered how Sokoto, could escape when he was in handcuffs and his legs in chain.
Apart from this, he said there was no way the suspect could escape when he was being escorted by 10 policemen.
Okiro said, “On Sokoto’s escape, I am angry that such a thing could happen. Here was a suspect, who was said to be handcuffed and leg-chained and was being taken by 10 police officers to a place of investigation.
“Yet, we are told that the man escaped. How? (Though) I have not heard from the officers that were there of what really happened, but to all ordinary Nigerians, that is not acceptable.”
SOURCE: The Punch, 6 February 2012. http://punchontheweb.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment