Security agencies in the country are the creation of the Nigerian Constitution, which specifies the roles or duties they are expected to perform. For instance, the Armed Forces, the Nigeria Police Force (NP), the Department of Security Service (DSS) the Federal Investigation and Intelligent Bureau (FIIB) and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) are established to perform distinct functions.
While the military (Armed Forces) is charged with the responsibility to defend the territorial integrity of the nation against foreign aggression, the DSS, FIIB and the NIA are charged with the responsibility of gathering and collating intelligent information about potential criminality and internal or external threat against the nation’s interest.
On the other hand, the Nigeria Police is saddled with enormous responsibilities, which include the protection of lives and properties; the maintenance of peace, law and order; the detection and prevention of civil disorder and crime. It is also the duty of the police to check internal aggression in the forms of violent protests, inter-communal conflicts, kingship conflicts, religious conflicts, conflict over land and social vices, such as cultism and religious riot, as well as trafficking and proliferation of fire arms.
From the foregoing, it is evident that the Nigeria Police is the most challenged security organisation and it has a vital role to play in the face of the prevailing insecurity across the country. For this reason, only a competent, patriotic and experienced senior officer that is capable of restoring and maintaining law and order, especially in a worsening security situation such as we have, should be at the helm.
On April 6, 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Usman Baba Alkali as the acting inspector General of Police (IGP). Two months later, on June 4, 2021, the Police Council under the chairmanship of the President confirmed him as the substantive IGP.
From all indications, Alkali appears determined to make a difference. This can be seen in his earliest strategic policy direction and his vivid understanding of the complex nature of the security situation in the country.
According to the IGP, there are peculiarities, with regard to the worsening security. In the North-East and North-Central, he notes, kidnapping for ransom and banditry are the dominant activities of criminal elements.
In the North-East, insurgents and terrorists are the obvious perpetrators of violent crimes. In the South-East, aggression is triggered by secessionist elements and in the South-West, there appears to be a ferocious agitation for restructuring. Also, there are calls for true federalism and an end to the killer herdsmen menace, which, of course, is not restricted to the region. In the South-South, we have the intermittent agitation for resource control.
By this, the IGP’s clear understanding of the complex nature of the insecurity ravaging the country has given hope to Nigerians. We can hope that he will deploy his wealth of experience towards mitigating the challenge at hand.
However, he has said that to effectively tackle the challenge posed by insecurity, there is an urgent need to check the trafficking in and proliferation of small arms and light weapons (SALW) in the country. It is believed that most of these weapons are in the possession of non-state actors and they are being used as active tools of conflict obtained illegally.
To corroborate the views of the IGP, former Head of state, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.) recently alleged that more than 3 million illegal firearms are in the hands of non-state actors (civilians) in the country.
Apparentlly conscious of this fact, the present IGP has since assumption ensured the reinvigoration of the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and the Special Tactical Squad (STS) through the deployment of trained experts and specialists to specifically spy and crack down on gun traffickers and local fabricators of firearms. Remarkably, within a month of extensive surveillance across the country, the hideout of a local gun fabricating syndicate was uncovered in the Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State.
More disturbing is the fact that the syndicate was actually fabricating AK 47 rifles. The Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, confirmed that even experts could hardly tell the difference between the AK47 rifles fabricated by the gang and the original ones.
It is also noteworthy to mention that IGP Alkali has put in place an effective mechanism with which security personnel can identify locally manufactured firearms. This has become pertinent in the current effort to curb local production of firearms and the illicit activities of cross-border firearms traffickers.
The IRT and STS squads of the Nigeria Police are sensitised to identify the enclosed Marking and Tracing Instrument, (MITI) of all apprehended firearms, that is the country of manufacture, trade mark, date of import or otherwise and type of weapon.
This will certainly go a long way towards verifying the source of seized firearms, whether locally fabricated or imported, as well as to assist in the search for local fabricators of arms. However, the foregoing is just an abridged version of the strategic policy direction the new IGP.
On the other hand, Alkali has demonstrated his determination to restore the battered image and reputation of the average officers and men of the Nigeria Police. On many occasions, at different public or official gatherings, he expressed concern for the general perception of the police. To him, the average Nigerian views the police as synonymous with extortion, especially of motorists ; bribery and reluctance to tackle crime head-long. The police are sometimes accused of collaborating with criminals.
The new IGP is determined to change this negative perception of the police for good and to restore the lost dignity of the average policeman on the street.
However, if these must be achieved, he needs the urgent support of President Muhammadu Buhari, the National Assembly, the Ministry of Police Affairs and the Police Service Commission (PSC). The Federal Government will have to increase funding for the police, which is quite inadequate at present and improve the welfare of the rank and file, who are poorly trained, poorly remunerated and sheltered in dilapidated barracks across the country.
To embark on the planned police reform, as promised by President Buhari, the government will need to change the operational circumstances of the Nigerian Police for the better.
The Nigeria Police is an important segment of government. It will be too costly to neglect its needs, especially at this period in the history of Nigeria. By virtue of its crucial role in the society, no amount of funding will be too much to get the best out of this institution.
If the police as an institution are adequately funded, there would be no reason for the conspicuous presence of the military on our highways and streets. Surely, IGP Usman Baba Alkali can only succeed if he has the support of the political establishment.
•Bilal wrote in from Jos, Plateau State.
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