PRESIDENT JONATHAN & IGP RINGIM ON REDEPLOYMENT OF POLICE COMMISSIONERS

On March 31, 2011, the Inspector General of Police, Hafiz Ringim claimed that he has redeployment all the 36 Police Commissioners to State other than the State they were before that date. But The PUNCH of April 1, drew the attention of the public that the IGP left out the Akwa Ibom Police Commissioner, Mr. Felix Uyanna. Uyanna replaced Commissioner Sani Mogaji who was posted out to Ondo State about three weeks earlier. While leaving Uyanna to stay put in Akwa Ibom, the IGP erred when he posted Commissioner Sani Mogaji, first to Ondo after about three months stint in Akwa Ibom and now to Benue in the March 31 exercise whereas he left Uyanna to remain in Akwa Ibom. In essence it holds that it was only Felix Uyanna still in Akwa Ibom that was not affected by the redeployment exercise; why then claim that it involved the 36 State Police Commissioners.

There must be some ulterior motives. It should be recalled that posting out of Sani Magaji to Ondo and replacing him with Uyanna was almost at the eve of the Ikot Ekpene and Uyo mayhem that witnessed loss of lives and properties. The Akwa Ibom ACN gubernatorial candidate, Senator James Udoedehe, was attacked on his way to Ikot Ekpene on campaign rally because funnily one Ati Annang association together with Akwa Ibom PDP ordered Annang land where Akpabio hails from no go area for political parties other than PDP. Ironically, Senator Udoedehe was arraigned by IGP Ringim before an Abuja Federal High Court for treasonable felony; a charge the presiding Judge Bello said could not be substantiated hence he granted the Senator bail but he is still being held.

If Sani Magaji who was posted to Ondo from Akwa Ibom the same day as Uyanna was posted to Akwa Ibom was not posted out to Benue during the March 31 IGP’s reassignment, many are now asking for reason why Uyanna should remain a sacred cow. The Akwa Ibom chapter of ACN in their advertorial on page 65 of The Nation April 3, catalogued reasons Uyanna must be transferred out of Akwa Ibom now. The only credible thing for President Jonathan to do is order IGP Ringim to effect this demand for equity and transparency, otherwise the growing belief that Ringim is his man-Friday would remain as assumed.

Dr. Jerome Jiga, Shehu Close, Zaria, Kaduna State.