IGP DISU AND THE CHALLENGES AHEAD

The new IGP should live up to the billing

Following the resignation of Kayode Egbetokun as the Inspector General of Police (IGP), President Bola Tinubu last Tuesday appointed Olatunji Disu as replacement.  Disu, whose appointment has been confirmed, pledged to justify the confidence reposed in him by ending impunity and enforcing zero tolerance for corruption within the Nigeria Police Force (NPF). He also said he would impress it on his officers as well as the rank-and-file to work for the people whose cooperation they need to succeed. “No police anywhere in the world can succeed without the cooperation of members of the public,” he declared.

We congratulate Disu on his elevation. But he must bear in mind that he is assuming office at a very difficult time. This point was underscored by the president while decorating the IGP with his new rank. The appointment comes at “a defining moment for our nation’s security,” said the president who nonetheless enjoined Disu to restore public confidence in the Force. “The commitment that I expect from you is for you to make it better than you met it. And I’m sure you can do it. Nigeria is challenged right now with banditry, terrorism and all sorts of criminal activities.”

Meanwhile, the police whose men are supposed to be at the epicentre of restoring law and order is also besieged. Thus, the major task facing the new IGP is to restore peace and order and help calm frayed nerves not only for the ordinary citizens but also within the rank and file of its own members. But perhaps Disu’s immediate assignment would be that of tackling corruption and restoring the trust of Nigerians. A Force whose personnel ought to be friends to the populace is perceived more as a foe and treated with suspicion, and sometimes derision, by many Nigerians.

For Disu, this is a major challenge: he has to clean up the force and restore its credibility. He has already made that commitment, and Nigerians will hold him to his words. But to succeed, the welfare of police personnel and the working environment must improve.  Most of the police stations across the country are in deplorable conditions. They lack basically everything. Yet if the police must live up to its responsibilities, it must be adequately equipped. A force entrusted to secure the nation cannot perform in the face of antiquated equipment and low morale. The Force must be well taken care of, to perform to the optimum. Indeed, the problematic shopping list for the new police boss is inexhaustible. We only hope he takes his time to study them and begin to make his impact felt.

Disu comes to office at a period there is a national consensus on the creation of state police based on the reality that the current centralised policing system is grossly incapable of confronting the scale and complexity of local security threats in the country. This of course will necessitate amendment to Section 214 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which provides that ‘There shall be a police force for Nigeria, which shall be known as the Nigeria Police Force, and subject to the provisions of this section, no other police force shall be established for the Federation or any part thereof’.

While we are aware of state policing potential pitfalls, we believe that the merits of having state police are quite overwhelming, and it is now the responsibility of Disu to manage the transition. Given his record of service, IGP Disu comes to office with enormous goodwill. But to earn the trust of the people, he must deliver on his promises. We wish him well in this most difficult assignment.