We've Won Public Confidence
By Kayode Makinde
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Ibe Aghanya is the Kogi State commissioner of Police. Recently, he spoke to Newswatch Kayode Makinde on a wide range of issues regarding the police. Excerpts
Newswatch: What level of cooperation are you getting from the people in your efforts at fighting crime in the state?
Aghanya: When I was posted here, I felt there was the need to reach out to the people and earn their confidence. I told them that we are not here to exploit them, to brutalise or arrest them unlawfully. We were able to build friendship and the confidence in them. And they started giving us information. I have good informants in the state. I gave out my phone numbers. I gave out the PPRO's phone number. They call us from all parts of the state and I enjoy the cooperation of the people. That way, they came to understand that there is need to cooperate with the police.
Newswatch: In the just concluded bye-election in Kogi State, how was the police able to ensure security?
Aghanya: There are three stages in election pre-election, election itself and post-election. At pre-election, We started monitoring people who constituted security risk in the state. We were able to apprehend some, while some died in confrontation with the police in a place like Okene. Then two days to the election, those ones we couldn't apprehend were declared wanted. During the election itself, the I.G. gave me sufficient man-power with three ACPs. Strategically, I knew where we could have problem in respect of the election. I deployed the ACPs men well. That was why, on election day, there was no single death or injury. There may be very few cases of snatching of ballot boxes but the ballot boxes were recovered with the ballot papers intact. Because of the security on ground,those criminals who wanted to bring in AK rifles, strike pump action and strike explosion from Otukpo into Kogi State, couldn't come in. While they were at a hotel, information got to Benue State Police and they arrested them all. There was also a Colonel that was declared wanted, Colonel Babanawa (Rtd) from Olamaboro. He recruited those people with a former honourable member from Lokoja constituency. They recruited those people, gave them arms to use it to cause mayhem in the state. But because of the high security , they couldn't come in. So, the security system was perfect. In Okene also, those of them who were planning to disrupt the election couldn't come out because of the security on ground. So, the good citizens came out and voted. On post-election, I put some mobile men on patrol. So, the election in Kogi State was very free, free of violence, totally free of violence. I succeded because the IG gives me free hand. He says " go and do your job, if you have problems, tell me." He allows me use my discretion.
Newswatch: What are the major challenges facing the police in Kogi State in particular and Nigeria in general and how do you think they can be addressed?
Aghanya: Challenges? Let me start from recruitment. Definitely the Nigeria police uses a recognised procedure in order to get the best material. But the mass recruitment of the past led to the problem we've seen - a situation where we had to recruit 40,000 people every year. Some unpatriotic citizens capitalised on the situation and brought in people who are not fit to be security men. But with some internal system, we have been able to get some of them out. However, we still have some of them who are not fit to be policemen. You saw the people IG paraded the other day because they came in through dubious ways. So Nigeria police must review recruitment policy because we have three categories: constables, cadet inspectors and cadet ASP's. In the case of cadet ASPs, I'm suggesting that police service commission should device a way to get the best graduates into the force. Not minding the interview we do in the state command, there should be a system to take the best. The recruitment procedure for cadet inspectors and cadet ASPs need to be looked into so that we can get the best from the universities. In most cases, before they recruit a graduate, they should go and trace the history of the person from year one to the date he graduated from the university. Is he the type who attends classes? Is he the type that pays to pass exams? Is he a cult member? We need to do these because police organisation is not where you recruit officers just like that. Just because this one is my brother and you have an influence, you recruit him. That is not the best.
On logistics, I will not go much into that because the Presidential Committee Reform has recommended other sources of revenue for the police so that they can be well equipped. When you talk of challenges as regards crime, the serious problem now with Nigeria police is bank robbery. We need to device a strategy. We need to find a way to curb this trend of robbers storming the banks and killing our policemen. At least an average of two policemen are killed in this country in bank associated robberies everyday.
Newswatch: What is your vision of the police in the next 18 months?
Aghanya: I want to see a police force where we would be able to reduce the number of fatality of policemen on duty. If you read the newspapers or watch television, in advanced countries, policemen hardly get killed. Robbers are killed by policemen. I want to see a situation where we are able to recruit the best hands. Not recruitment based on favouritism or connection. I want to see a police force where every policeman has armoured vest, a police where every policeman should have walkie talkie as part of his kits. That is what I envisage for the force.
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