RARE QUALITIES OF MD ABUBAKAR, NIGERIAN INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE

Nigerian Inspector General of Police, MD Abubakar

When the current Nigerian Inspector general of Police (IGP) Mohammed Dahiru Abubakar was appointed on January 25 this year, those critical about his past were opposed to his appointment. Some said that he is a core Muslim fundamentalist who supported the wanton destruction of lives and properties in Jos, Plateau state seeing that Jos was under his jurisdiction then when he was DIG.  His appointment came at a time when security situation in the country has nosedived.  MD Abubakar was appointment to head the Nigerian Police force on the January 25,2012 and since then

he has experienced so many challenges one of which is the loss of his 48year old wife Maryam  to the cold hands of death. He has been very resilient as this did not deter him from focusing on his job as number one man in police force. Apart from losing his wife, the daunting task of maintaining national security has been quite huge. His house in Kano has been atacked by members of the deadly Islamic sect, the Boko Haram  which led to the death of two Policemen attached to his house.

This current IGP has exhibited some rare qualities that our past IGPs did not show and he must be applauded for this attitude. Unquestionable, the rot in the Nigerian Police force is nothing to write home about. It has been been a chronic disease that has defied so many solutions. In order to have a better interaction with the public, he first gave his phone number as 08059666666 and when the online community complained that it was not enough since the number will always be busy, he rolled out his electronic mail address also known as e-mail as -policemonitor@npf.gov.ng.  He urged the public to share security information like kidnapping, robbery,  and so on with him.  He ordered that road blocks which until now served as collection points be abolished. He has occasionally warned the force against some attitudes that are antithetical to their professional etiquette. Many officers who thought otherwise have had themselves to be blamed as their appointments have been terminated.  In fact, there has been some attitudinal changes in the Nigerian Police force although there are still so many bad eggs among them. He vision is to instill absolute discipline and professionalism in Nigeria Police force.  Last month, he summoned a security meeting where he asked all the AIGs to submit action plans on security in their respective zones for scrutiny. This gingered  and  reminded them that it's  no longer business as usual. 

Just yesterday, August 13, 2012, MD Abubakar at first refused to decorate two assistant inpector general of Police (AIGs) who were promoted recently. According to him, the two AIGs Julius Ishola and Alex Okeke were already in their new uniforms and IGP questioned the rationale behind their putting on the new AIG uniforms when they have not been formally decorated and gave a stern warning to the force against lawlessness, disloyalty, and indiscipline. He noted that promotion henceforth shall be by merit and not automatic as in the past.

I think this MD Abubakar is on the right track and should be encouraged to do more. Being quick to criticism and not commending good works is not the best option.  We need more of  such reforms in the police force. Although the task is so much, we have to start from some where. Our past  inspector generals of Police did not  demonstrate these few  qualites enumerated above but this man has proved himself to be visionary so far.