A female member of the Police Service Commission, Najatu Muhammad, has said there was no way she would keep silent as a key stakeholder in the police and national security establishment over the idea of tenure elongation for Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, describing tenure extension in the force as “reinforcement of failure.”
Mrs. Muhammad, who represents the Nigerian women in the commission, said this on Wednesday in a statement, saying it is even wrong to start contemplating the extension of the tenure for Mr. Idris and service chiefs who she said had woefully failed.
In the case of the IGP, she cited instances where policemen had absconded from their duties due to poor welfare and also evidence of abuse of power by Mr. Idris.
The protests by gallant men and women of the police force as seen in Borno, Owerri and Buni Yadi were unprecedented, she added.
Muhammad said, “The idea of extending the tenure of the IG and the service chiefs who have woefully failed is a farcical travesty which abuses the patience and common sense of Nigerians. We can expect that the call of millions of people across party lines for their immediate retirement is not going to be unheeded by the President.
“Today, officers are abdicating from even training, rather than allowing themselves to be treated like cannon fodder; poorly armed, poorly paid , poorly trained and led to their early graves in droves while some of their junior ones are given rapid accelerated promotions to superior (and juicy) positions without training or recourse to due process.
“This is the prevailing environment within the Police Force today – the direct result of which is indiscipline and fallen morale amongst officers and the rank.
Meanwhile, The Peoples Democratic Party has again asked President Muhammadu Buhari to allow the Inspector-General of Police to retire on January 15.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, made the appeal on Wednesday while answering questions in Abuja.
Mr. Ologbondiyan said that is one of the ways Buhari would show Nigerians and the international community that he is commttted to a free, fair and acceptable elections this year.
According to him, there is in fact no need to extend the tenure of the IG, adding that the police force has many officers capable of leading the NPF.
Ologbondiyan stated that if the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) and the President are not planning anything negative, they should allow Idris to retire.
He said, “One of the ways to demonstrate or show that he (President Buhari) is committed to free, fair and credible elections, is not to extend the tenure of the IG, who is due for retirement this month.
“He has said that he is committed to having transparent elections. He needs to tell Nigerians by his actions, and not merely with words of mouth.”
It has recently been alleged by some stakeholders that Mr. Buhari is plotting to extend the tenure of Mr. Idris, who has been accused of being more loyal to the president and his party than the constitution he swore to protect and defend.
As at the time of filing this report, the president has not responded to the allegation, thereby adding more fuel to the speculation.
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