President Goodluck Jonathan has said that the reason most Nigerians do not have confidence in the Nigeria Police Force and other paramilitary agencies is because most top officials of the Police and para military agencies are incompetent.
He said this on Wednesday during the swearing in ceremony of the chairman and members of the Police Service Commission (PSC) at the State House, Abuja, saying he believed they are incompetent because the yardstick being used for their promotion is not based on merit, competence and performance.
“I believe that the story of Immigration is the same with most of our services. I believe that is why the performance of some of our military and para-military officers is abysmal. Because the yardstick being used for promotion is not based on competence, merit and performance,” he said.
Jonathan, who revealed the advice he received to sack all officers from the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) and above at the Police Headquarters, Abuja following the June 2011 attack by members of the Boko Haram sect, noted that Nigerians have no confidence in the police.
He said following the bombing of the Police Headquarters, he was advised to sack all the senior officers as people wondered how a local terrorist group could successfully carry out such attack.
Jonathan said: “Even now that we have challenges, you will see that, especially when the Police Headquarters was bombed, some people came to me and said, Mr. President, sack all police officers working in that place from Assistant Commissioner of Police and above.
“I did not sack any because of that incident but that was the advice I got, that if you do that, subsequent people that would be posted there will sit up. How could the police allow their headquarters to be bombed by the local group called Boko Haram?’”
Jonathan observed that the problem with the services has to do with indiscipline and subjugation of merit in issues of promotions which throw up mediocre officers.
According to the President, “You will agree with me that Nigerians don’t have so much confidence in the Nigerian police but Nigerian police is good. The Nigerian Police that work outside under United Nations are highly honoured, highly commended and Okiro (Mike) will agree with me. But once we come back home, that is not reflected in what we do.”
Explaining the circumstances surrounding the appointment of Mr. David Paradang, an Assistant Comptroller of Immigration (ACG) as the new Comptroller General of Immigration (CGI), he noted that most of those recommended for his consideration who were more senior officers ought to have been dismissed from service.
He revealed that intelligence reports indicted the officers recommended for such an important position.
According to him, “Few days back, I gave approval for the new Comptroller General of Immigration. I got a list of about six that were to be reviewed. Some were sent from the ministry (of Interior), some were picked from among the most senior. When we reviewed the six, from my intelligence investigation, most of them were supposed to have been dismissed.
“But those were the people that were being forwarded for appointment as Comptroller General of Immigration. Among them only one is qualified to even stay and serve. Others ordinarily, are supposed to be dismissed, from the records.
Advising the the new PSC chairman and members, Jonathan said that they should ensure discipline and merit in the advancement of officers.
He stated: “But I believe there are two things, one is the issue of discipline. And so, one of the responsibilities of the Police Service Commission is to instill discipline. Another thing I believe, is that people who have no merit to certain ranks are being promoted to those ranks.
“One of your responsibilities is to handle promotion. I believe with you, only those who merit or deserve promotion should be promoted. Those who deserve to be disciplined or even dismissed must be disciplined.”
Speaking to State House correspondents after the swearing in, Chairman of the Commission, Mike Okiro, said that the commission would look at the extant laws governing the Police Force with a view to initiating reforms.
“We will look at the extant laws and see the areas that the Police Service Commission is supposed to act to reform the Nigerian Police force and if it is an issue that requires the handiwork and cooperation of everybody, the press, you people, Nigerians and the Police officers themselves have to open up their minds for reform,” he stated.
Other members of the Commission are Alhaji Mohammed Yakubu, Justice Olufunmilola Oyinlola Adekeye, Hajia Aisha Larai Tukur, Dame Comfort Obi and Dr. Tornge Jem Anyiin.