Egbetokun confirmed as IGP

......Tinubu sets up constitutional review c'ttee on Police reforms

President Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday, 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.

Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed, disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents after the confirmation of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Kayode Egbetokun by the National Police Council.

Mohammed, who lauded the choice of Egbetokun as IGP, said the Council’s meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu and the confirmation process led to extended deliberations concerning the Nigeria Police Force.

He said 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, Solomon Arase, and the Chairman of the Nigerian Governor’s Forum, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, all collaborating on a shared reform agenda to ensure the comprehensive overhaul of the Nigeria Police.

According to him, “the confirmation of the IGP 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 bring harmony and synergy, closing technology and manpower to the Nigerian Police force.

“The committee comprise of the Minister of Police Affairs, NSA, Chairman of PSC and the Chairman of the NGF to work on common on reform agenda with a view to make sure that the Nigeria Police is reformed”, Governor Mohammed said.

Also speaking on the confirmation of the IGP, the Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun mentioned that IGP Egbetoken remarked on  professionalism in the Nigerian Police Force, Community Policing and adequate funding for the Nigerian Police Force.

Abiodun said the National Police Council observed that no meaningful reforms have taken place in the Nigerian Police force since its creation in 1861. 

The Governor added that the newly set up committee will come up with ideas that would lead to reforms that will characterize the new Nigerian Police Force.

He said, “The newly confirmed IGP 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 State Governor further revealed that the newly confirmed IGP also addressed the Council on major Police requirements, which involved technology-driven policing.

He said, “The IGP also remarked on professionalism g 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 4-5 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 characterize the new Nigerian Police Force”, the governor added.

In attendant at the briefing were the Ministers of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Geidam and Iman Sulieman Ibrahim, Governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Sule, Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun,  the Bauchi State Governor and the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Solomon Arase.