Arewa group hials IGP Arase over promotion in police

The Arewa Patriotic Peoples Assembly has taken a swipe on those it called mischief makers bent on misinforming the good people of Nigeria about the state of affairs of the Nigerian Police force noting that allegations of lopsidedness in the deployment and promotions in the force against officers from the North, have been discovered to be unfounded.
Emphasizing that the allegation which were contained in an interview broadcast in some foreign media organization where the speaker imputed ethnicity, religiousity and favouritism as hogwash, the group said, “Let nobody come out to create bad blood in our society that is already polarized’.
President of the Assembly, Comrade Isa Tijani who addressed newmen in Abuja, noted that the group carried out an independent investigation of the allegation that the current Inspector General of Police was favouring other parts of the country to the detriment of the North and discovered that the reverse was actually the case.
For instance, Comrade Tijani said, “our investigation showed that contrary to allegation of the IGP playing ethnic agenda, out of the 37 Command Commissioners of Police in the federation, 24 are from the Northern part of the country made up of 7 North West, 9 North East, anf 8 North Central while South-South has 4, South west has 7 and South East has 2 CPs.
Regarding the deployment of Police Mobile Forces, the group said said Squadron Commanders were discovered to be more from the Northern part of the country with North East having 14, North east 8, North Central 8. South East has 7, South West has 11 and South-South has 11 officers.
On the deployments of 2nd in Commands in the Special Protection Unit, the group said while the North has 7 officers, the South have 5 officers which all run contrary to what is being alleged.
“The facts stated above, clearly falsifies the content of the interview grantedby the faceless and disguised persons to the foreign media organizations and it is our view that elements of mischief should be discarded to give room for government and its institutions to turn around the country for better and good of all nigerians” Tijani said.
“The allegations as we have found out are not correct in their entirety. Indeed, our view rather, is that the Police management, as currently led by Mr. Solomon Arase, deserves Nigerians support and encouragement to do more to change the negative perception of the police in the country and ensure adequate protection of lives and property”, the group said.
Recall that following widespread allegations of lopsidedness in the recent promotions and postings of senior police officers (SPOs) which favoured a particular section of the country to the detriment of other parts, Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Sir Mike Okiro explained that officers of the force are only promoted if the PSC satisfies itself that their promotions conform to the seniority order and none is having Pending Disciplinary Matters.
According to Okiro, “The PSC under my watch is very meticulous in dealing with such matters (promotions) and would not be party to anything that would undermine the great efforts put in place to enthrone discipline and efficiency in the Police.
“Like you all know, the office of the Inspector General of the Police (IGP) is vested with the responsibility of recommending deserving police officers based on operational competence and vacancy to the PSC before we can consider such request.
“So, it is a fact that all those recommended by the IGP were successful, after the commission satisfied itself that they conform to the seniority order and none is having Pending Disciplinary Matters.
Continuing he said, “As it is, it has become necessary not just to debunk the continuing falsehood but to as well as graphically clear any misgivings of any deliberate slant in the exercise. The seniority list in the Nigeria Police Force which guided the Commission’s decision in the matter are incontrovertible facts that informed the following promotions in entirety.
“CP Shuaibu Gambo from Niger State was the most senior CP before his promotion to AIG. The five most senior DCPs in seniority order were promoted to substantive Commissioners of Police. One acting Deputy Commissioner of Police, Sahabo Abubakar Yahaya and an Assistant Commissioner of Police, Aishatu I. Abubakar (PhD.) were made substantive DCPS.
“In the same vein, all four acting Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACP) were confirmed as substantive Assistant Commissioners of Police. The total number of Chief Superintendents of Police (CSP) promoted to ACPs is 20 and based strictly on seniority order. Except for one officer who is on suspension and cannot enjoy such promotion”.
So, where then is the favoritism and distortions or discriminations in the exercise? he asked.
“The Commission is not unaware of some mischief makers’ ploys to cause unnecessary tension and bad blood in the Police Force, all in a bid to cause disaffection, but we all have a duty to be patriotic enough to call a spade a spade” he said.