HURIWA to Disu: Impunity, corruption, indiscipline deeply rooted in NPF

● Tasks IGP to revive the moribund Human Rights desks in the NPF

[Press Release] Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has lambasted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for bypassing the most senior officer who could have succeeded the dismissed inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun for a far junior officer Tunde Disu as the acting IGP only because Frank MBA is Igbo and therefore the president has perpetuated the nepotism in appointments of strategic security heads.

Besides, HURIWA has asked the new IGP Mr. Tunde Disu to brace up for the deeply entrenched challenges posed by corruption, police impunity and lack of professionalism because solving these problems would take much more than vocalised pledges or promises by the new appointee.

HURIWA asked the new IGP to hit the ground running by quickly rooting out centripetal and centrifugal forces tearing apart the police of Nigeria and sowing deep trust deficits amongst Nigerians due to attitudes and criminal tendencies of most of the serving police operatives in Nigeria.

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“The IGP should clean up the dirty barracks and police stations around the Country and work out modalities for establishing modern clean police stations so police operatives can work in hygienic and clean environment.

” The workload of this new IGP is massive requiring the full attention of the IGP to his task of Rebuilding the police. The new IGP should reinvigorate and revive the moribund human rights desks in all the commands around the county,” the rights group said.

HURIWA said the new police boss would have to contend with the hydraheaded monsters of impunity, indiscipline, and the utter disrespect to the human rights of citizens by police operatives by immediately stopping the practice of policemen from the Force criminal investigation department in Abuja invading states such as Anambra, Enugu, Imo State to abduct Nigerian citizens extralegally and then to bring them to the Abuja detention Centre run by the Force CID and would release them after extorting these detainees picked up usually after kangaroo petitions are prepared by misguided persons or business rivals of these abducted and detained citizens.

“HURIWA is aware that even whilst the new IGP was addressing the state house media after he was decorated by the President and vowing to end the era of police impunity and to make citizens interest the centrepiece of policing operations, the police operatives all around Nigeria were busy committing atrocious violations of the human rights of citizens. It was just a day after he was decorated, that it was revealed that a lady Mrs. Tracy Ohiri who has contractual disagreement with the minister of works David Umahi over the money the minister owe her from the job of corporate gifts her company made for the minister when he ran for governorship of Ebonyi state, was maltreated. The police force in Nigeria is a massive bag of rotten eggs. It would take almost a revolutionary leadership and visionary initiatives to eradicate these criminal tendencies of many serving police operatives.”

HURIWA recalled that the decorated acting Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, had declared that the era of impunity in the Nigeria Police Force is over, vowing to enforce a regime of zero tolerance to corruption and human rights abuses.

Disu made the declaration on Wednesday shortly after President Bola Tinubu decorated him with his new rank at the State House, Abuja.

Speaking to State House correspondents after the ceremony, the new police chief outlined his priorities, emphasising that Nigerian citizens, not politicians, are the ultimate bosses of the police.

“I will let them (fellow policemen and women) know that the era of impunity is over.

“I will ensure that I train them and encourage them to follow human rights.

“I will ensure that they know that I will try to follow a regime of zero tolerance to corruption,”
Disu stated.

He added, “Most importantly, l’m going to drum it into them that we can never succeed without the cooperation of members of the public.”

The new IGP said one of his first actions would be to address officers across the country to reorient them on citizen-centred policing.

“One of the first lectures I’m going to have with my men, I’m going to talk to them, let them know that the citizen, the citizen of the country, is the boss.

“It’s very, very important for them to know that no police anywhere in the world can succeed without the cooperation of members of the public,” he declared.

Disu revealed that the appointment came as an emotional surprise, particularly when President Tinubu detailed his career achievements during the decoration ceremony.

“The President mentioning a lot of activities about me, mentioning areas I’ve worked, mentioning successes I’ve recorded as a policeman, brought emotion to me, almost brought me to tears,” he said.

The new IGP said Tinubu’s detailed knowledge of his career demonstrated the President’s hands-on approach to monitoring officers across the country.

“It shows the President took his time to monitor officers working everywhere in the country, and then it shows the President was throwing a
challenge at me to go out there and do what I’m known for, and ensure that I bring peace, recognition and calm to the country,” Disu stated.

On officer welfare, he pledged to prioritise motivation as a key to improved performance.

“I’m going to ensure that I take their welfare into consideration, because people who are motivated put in their best,” he said.

Addressing Nigeria’s security challenges, including banditry and insurgency, Disu expressed confidence in police officers nationwide.

“I know all police officers around have been doing their best. They are hardworking people.

“All I need to do is channel their morale and their thoughts to make anything better,” he stated.

HURIWA through the National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko however dismissed the promises of Tunde Disu as the usual sweet talks of newly appointed inspectors General of Police just to ingratiate themselves to the people and get validation.

“We challenge the new IGP to publicise to Nigerians his agenda and a clear blueprint stating the indicators and timelines of actualisation each of these objectives. He needs to publish an operational manual for his office showing the programmes that would be implemented towards eradicating all traces of impunity, police brutality and lack of professionalism and discipline. The new IGP should put his money where his mouth is and clearly map out implementable mechanisms to minimise the groundswell of corruption, indiscipline and lack of professionalism amongst the ranks and files. This way, we the people of Nigeria would begin to rebuild trust in the police force of Nigeria. The IGP should revamp the existing mechanisms for boosting public confidence and trust in Nigeria and to set up seamless strategy on relationships and dialogue with Nigerians on regular basis.