By Eze Jude. O
Since last week, goodwill messages have been pouring in for the newly decorated police chief, Usman Alkali Baba. His predecessor, Mohammed Adamu's removal while on official tour seems to be a sad and ignoble end to a successful career. Yet it was avoidable if he had said no to an illegal extension.
However, nothing points to the fact that the culture of impunity has transcended into the public service than the brazen elongation of the Service Chiefs' and IGP's retirement ages.
But the dramatic event of that same week showed that Nigerians are now apathetic against the negligence of federal character in appointments into public offices. No one cares to complain again.
In fact, what we saw in the news was applause that at last, IGP Adamu and his imprudent policing approach is gone, instead of grudges against the nepotism and bigotry that informed the appointment of his successor. And a greater number of citizens placed their trust in the new IGP to revolutionize the force.
The pulse of most Nigerians is filled with high expectations of what the nation's new Police boss can bring to the table. This is not peculiar to his own case. Each time such high profile position is vacant and re-filled, people will after enunciating their dashed hopes in the outgone officer, hip their anticipations on the new choice to salvage them.
So, as Alkali relishes the euphoric ecstasy of his elevation to the zenith of our police order, and Nigerians sing the anthem of his prospects, it is pertinent we tell ourselves the truth based on realities on the ground and minimize our expectancies on him. This is not to say we are making cynical projections for the IGP or our country, it is about being realistic while hanging on the silken cord of optimism.
We can do this by admitting that based on the system on which Nigeria operates, any I.G of police has little or nothing to offer on his own, independent of our Commander-in-Chief. The Executive calls the shot on the other two arms of government, especially on the judiciary. Therefore, it is tantamount to foolhardiness addressing the new police IG, Mr Usman Alkali Baba, as the anointed messiah to turn around the fortunes of our police force.
Few days ago, our courts were placed under locks and keys by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) who embarked on an indefinite strike to press home their demand for financial autonomy of the judiciary. The Chief Justice Of Nigeria (CJN), was quick to tell them, he is not ready to yield to their demand. And in all honesty, if you consider the circumstances of his emergence as CJN two years ago, you will understand the reason he took that position regarding the strike action.
Now, that it is obvious financial autonomy is likely not to come the way of our judiciary, you can understand the first impediment to Alkali's tenure. The funds he needs to work with, will come from the presidency, and as they say, he who pays the piper dictates the tune. This means that he will lack the independence to act in line with the urgency and exigencies of our time.
The unethical behavior among the rank and file of the Nigerian police force will not likely abate under the new IGP. The only weapon at the disposal of our police officers is AK 47 rifles. No water guns, no rubber bullets, and other non-invasive weaponry. And so abuse of rights of the people and loss of innocent lives of the citizens are very likely to be inevitable as they discharge their duties with the usual brute force and offensive weapons. And so long as financial autonomy is not granted the IGP's men will continue to be ill-equipped.
The next limitation to whatever goodwill he may have brought to his new office is the unsavoury friction between and among Ministry of Police Affairs/IGP Office, Police Service Commission, and Ministry of Interior. The cold war is not over yet. Mr. Usman Alkali Baba may have to take a different approach to work, which has to be unique from that of his predecessor, whose tenure was mired in several controversies. But Mr. Baba will still lack the right to beat his own music. He must always dance to the tunes from Aso Villa that appointed him.
As we celebrate the former IGP Adamu's retirement which was due more than two months ago, but was extended by three months, let us not forget that the new Police IG is not likely to trigger the much desired police reform. And we all know for sure, that unless our police force and the laws establishing it are reformed, reviewed and amended respectively, our high expectations on any new IGP is baseless.
How do one expect that one man (in a centralized structure as we have it) sitting in Abuja, can efficiently oversee the policing of a pluralistic society like ours, made up of over 460 ethnic nationalities, that cut across 774 Local Government areas, mopped up into 36 states with a population density of 200 million?
With the commissioners of police in each state being answerable to him instead of to the individual state governors, Mr Usman Baba may not be rated as efficient after his stint. The end to the heightened insecurity situation in the country may not be in sight, unless the Executive sincerely desire to allow our men of arms do their jobs unfettered.
Can the new IGP foster justice for victims of the disbanded SARS, on various #EndSARS tribunals that are in various states? Of course he can, but will the obvious limiting circumstances permit him? This is added to the retinue of things he may not be able to do as a Police Chief in the present unrestructured Nigeria.
From Abuja, the IGP cannot timely and appropriately order his men to adequately guard the interior villages in Ebonyi or the flashpoints in Imo. They will be late, unresponsive or non-conformant as always. Nor can he kick-start state policing policy which has been overdue. All these things rests on the president and their implementation thereof duly domiciled in his office.
Therefore, as long as the commander-in-chief, the police establishment Act and the 1999 constitution retain their status quo, changing of the IGP will make no difference. Let us accept this bitter truths which are the rhetorics of Nigeria reality and lower our expectations; while we look forward to pleasant surprises that might spring from the new IGP, Mr Usman AlBaba's tenure.
May daylight spare us!
...Eze Jude O. is a Laboratory scientist and public affairs analyst. NNL
