Former Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Suleiman Abba, on Sunday, appealed to officers of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) not to allow themselves to be used to disrupt the 2019 general elections.
Abba said in Lagos that there was a
lot for the officers to learn from him because he did not allow the
2015 general elections to be scuttled.
“I am not only cautioning the Nigerian Police Force against disruption of the next elections, but I will be most happy if the Police is able to maintain the tempo.
“And I will be sad if these Police Officers allow the legion of doom
to succeed in leading them or conspire with them to disrupt our
democratic process.
“There were several efforts to disrupt the 2015 general elections, but I led the Police to resist it, and we did it well,’’ he said.
The former IGP said that it was imperative for the Police to know that
it was, first, their responsibility to ensure the safety of lives and
property, rather than involving themselves in politics.
Abba said that although the intervention of the Police in the prevention of a disruption of the 2015 elections had led to his early retirement,
he was happy for the success of the elections.
According to him, some persons were determined to disrupt the
elections, but the Police under his leadership prevented everything
that would have led to mayhem and violence.
“Let me say that when we had the responsibility to protect lives and
property when it mattered most, we are glad that we did and we did it
well.
“And if the consequence is that I lost my office, that is alright.
Life goes on. We are glad that we did it in a very civilised manner.
“We sensitised our officers to be impartial and non-partisan
before, during and after the conduct of the elections.
“And I am proud of the Police officers who adhered to our instructions
to make the elections one of the best ever,’’ he said.
Abba commended President Muhammadu Buhari on his initiative for
recently recognising the mandate given to the winner of the June 12
election, Chief MKO Abiola, posthumously.
The former IGP, who described the President’s reconciliatory
initiative as unifying, said that it had brought together tens of
millions of people to resolve their differences.
“What this reconciliation means is that we will be able to put behind our
personal differences and sentiments.
“This will remain in the annals of not only Nigeria, perhaps the whole
world,’’ he said.
Abba worked in various capacities in the Police Force.
He served as Commissioner of Police in Lagos and Rivers States, and was a one-time AIG in charge of Zone 7, Abuja.
He also once served as Aide-De-Camp (ADC) to Maryam Abacha, spouse of Nigeria’s former military leader, Sani Abacha.
Abba also declared that what men and women of the Nigeria Police Force urgently needed was more than their remuneration.
Abba said that the payment of the salaries of the Nigeria Police Force should not be allowed to disregard their needs during service and after their retirement.
“Remuneration is not a major problem of the Nigeria Police today. One of the major problems of the Police is getting the trust of the public, so that they can work together in fighting the common enemy, which is
crime.
“As the largest Police Force in Africa, remuneration should not be
used in assessing the welfare of the Nigerian Police.
“Take care of their fall-back positions when they retire; take care of
their children’s education, take care of their accommodation while in service and after service,’’ he said.
Abba said that it was imperative for someone who was or had been
engaged in crime prevention, like the Police, to work in service
and retire with confidence and empowerment.
The former IGP said that the necessary equipment, benefits and work
conditions should be given to men and women of the Nigerian Police, as
was being done in other parts of the world.
Abba, who maintained that the current salaries of the Nigerian Police
could not provide their needs, said that the provision of their
additional needs would make them more efficient.
He enjoined states agitating for State Police to know that the Police
all over the world was expensive to maintain, adding that there was
nothing wrong in establishing State Police when such states could maintain them.
Abba said that it was only Lagos State that had showed signs of
operating a State Police, and not some other states who could not
even pay teachers’ salaries.
“There is nothing wrong in States establishing their own Police, but we
must know that the Police is expensive to maintain.
“The Lagos State Government to some extent is prepared to sponsor the
Police in its State, if they are handed over to it.
“Many other states agitating for State Police are not in position to
provide for such now because some of them cannot even now effectively pay the salaries of their teachers,’’ he said.
