The office of the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has ordered a probe of the circumstances in which over 100 police officers quit their jobs without properly disengaging from the force.
Our correspondent learnt that the affected police officers allegedly abandoned their official duty posts and jobs without authorisation and due regard for official protocol.
the office of the Inspector General of Police, which raised a team of investigators, also directed that a searchlight be beamed on other ex-officers, whose exit from the force was considered questionable, especially those who left the force since 2006
Yearly, no fewer than 10 police officers are known to abandon their postings, especially when such postings are “maliciously done to punish such officers.”
Of course, many of the police officers who have abandoned their jobs were said to have been posted to some states considered to be “potentially dangerous” but which they resented; while others left for lack of motivation.
A source said that authorities would not bother to investigate such deserters, who would later turn out to be “doing police work” on the highways, where they resort to extortion and other dirty jobs.
Idris, from inception had promised to bring back the lost glory of the Nigeria Police Force by ensuring that it complied with the professional standard required of it, in line with global best practices, especially in advanced countries of the world, where policing is seen as service with integrity.
Meanwhile, Idris and his Police Management Team have lately discovered that some police officers employed underhand and dubious means and connections to get out of the force without following the official standard practice, which his office described as “grossly antithetical to the norms”.
In police parlance, personnel, who have absconded are generally known and called “deserters.”
Some of the over 100 officers that fall within this bracket were said to be having some cases pending against them.
Such cases bear on indiscipline and violation of ethics.
The source said, “We have cases of some officers, who, against the standard practice, failed/ refused to proceed on Command Courses, which eventually earned them queries.
“What actually raked up the probe into the deeds of these police officers was not unconnected with the recent-past allegation by one Senator Isa Misau, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Navy. The Senator had accused the Inspector General of pocketing N10billion monthly as payment for special security services provided by the police to corporate organisations and Very Important Personalities across the country.
“It was in an apparent reaction to the allegation by the lawmaker that the office of the Inspector General caused an investigation to be made into the background of the Senator, who the police branded a “deserter,” following a preliminary investigations.”
Our correspondent further gathered that the office of the Inspector General of Police, which raised a team of investigators, also directed that a searchlight be beamed on other ex-officers, whose exit from the force was considered questionable, especially those who left the force since 2006.
Further checks revealed that as the probe continued, it was discovered that Senator Misau was, at a point in his career, given a query in accordance with the Public Service Rules under sections 030301[b][g][m] and [o] and 030402[a][b][c][e] and [w]. The source disclosed further that other “files are also being perused”.
Force spokesperson, Chief Superintendent Jimoh Moshood, had earlier admitted that the ongoing probe of deserters had also been communicated to other security agencies, particularly, the one reportedly involving the lawmaker.
Moshood said; “The retirement letter presented to journalists by Deputy Superintendent Mohammed Hamman is suspiciously forged and dubiously obtained. The letter, which was dated March 5,2014,a period of more than four years after AP No57300, DSP Mohammed Isa Hamman [Senator Isa Hamman Misau] deserted the Force, is now being investigated by the Force”.
Responding to a question, Moshood said there was no time limit for a deserter to be investigated and punished under the enabling laws.
“Misau’s case file is still with the Force Disciplinary Committee and as such an officer with a pending disciplinary matter is not allowed to retire or leave the Force until such matters are finally adjudicated upon,” he said.
