Deji Elumoye in Abuja
The National Police Council (NPC) yesterday confirmed Kayode Egbetokun as the 22nd Inspector General of Police.
The Council at its meeting attended by all the 36 State governors and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, at the State House, Abuja with President Bola Tinubu presiding confirmed Egbetokun, who had been in acting capacity. Tinubu also set up a special committee that will take a look at and work on all the gaps in the nation’s legal statutes, right from 1999 till today.
Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state, who made this known to newsmen at the State House, Abuja, after the confirmation of Egbetokun, lauded his choice as IG, saying the confirmation process led to extended deliberations concerning the Nigeria Police Force.
“The confirmation of the IG prompted further discussion on the Nigeria Police Force and the president has formed a special committee to look at all the gaps in Nigeria’s 1999 constitution with a view to bringing harmony and synergy, closing technology and manpower to the Nigerian police force,” Mohammed said.
He added that the committee consists of the Minister of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Geidam, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, the Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Solomon Arase, and the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, all collaborating on a shared reform agenda to ensure the comprehensive overhaul of the Nigeria Police.
Also speaking on the confirmation of the IG, Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun mentioned that Egbetokun represents professionalism in the police in Nigeria.
Abiodun disclosed that the NPC observed that no meaningful reforms had taken place in the police force since its creation in 1861.
He added that the newly set up committee will come up with ideas that would lead to reforms that will characterise the new Nigerian police.
“The newly confirmed IG is adequately prepared, his CV is extremely rich, very experienced intellectually and practically. He also addressed us as a council on the state of policing in Nigeria, amongst other things that he highlighted, he spoke about the need for technology-driven policing.
“The need for community-based policing, the need to ensure that required budgetary provision is provided for community-based policing which has been proven to be very effective,” he said.
The Ogun governor further revealed that the newly confirmed IG also addressed the council on major police requirements, which involved technology-driven policing.
“The IG also remarked on professionalism in the police canvassing that each police man will have endowed certain qualities and they should be encouraged to follow those qualities so that they can be encouraged to follow such qualities so that they will be professional.
“The issue of funding also came up and this committee of four or five will look at these issues that border on reforms. We observed that there have been no meaningful reforms since the establishment of the Nigerian Police Force.
“So we believe that with the newly set up committee they will come up with ideas that would lead to reforms that will characterise the new Nigerian Police Force,” he added.
