The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun has charged officers and men of the Nigerian Police distance themselves from extortion and other forms of corruption, in order to enhance their public image in the fight for a crime free society.
During an address delivered in Kano on Friday at a special reception hosted by the Kano Police Command, where he conducted an inspection tour, Egbetokun conveyed a clear message to his officers.
He said, “I used to tell my officers that when you are extorting, the police job is a very good job, is the best job in the world. Is a job that when you do it very well you get prayers. It is also a job that you will do and you will get the opposite of prayers. So it is you the policeman that will determine what you want.
“If you want prayers you will get enough prayers in this job. And if you want the opposite of prayers you are going to get it too. So be mindful of that fact.
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“I used to tell people that God loves the police and God is always looking for a policeman to bless. Some of you would have sent away angels that God is sending to you to bless you with your wickedness.
“The moment you are engaging in corruption you are telling God that don’t worry about me I can bless myself, and God will not bother about you.
“But if you address your job with the fear of God, God will single you out for blessing. If you want you personal blessing then you must will it for yourself. So if you want your personal blessing which you wish for yourself or the one from God. I will rather chose the blessing that will come from God” the Inspector General admonishes the Police.
The IG also stated that promotion in the police force will henceforth be based only on merit while announcing that there will no more be special promotions.
Also speaking on some of the packages he has for the Police in Nigeria, he stated that he is going to reshuffle the Central Investigation Department (CID) of the force at the national level appointing only those who are qualified. He stated that the same will also be replicated in the state commands.
“We are going to commit serious effort to training. There will be specialist training for specialized duties.
“The force CID is going to be reorganized such that only qualified and competent officers will function in the force CID. This will be replicated in the state commands.
“Henceforth only officers who can inspire public confidence will be given sensitive duty post, such as Commissioners of Police, Area Commanders and DPOs. If you cannot inspire public confidence you will not merit such positions.
“We want competence, we want honesty, we want integrity. That is the only way we can inspire public confidence. We want support of members of the public. We cannot be calling for support when we also are not showing transparency, we’re not showing competence and we are not showing capability.
“It is when we are able to do all these that we will mobilize for public support.
“Henceforth, promotion in the police will be merit based. There will be no special promotion and if you want special promotion you must merit it. For now dishing out promotions any how has been stopped.
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“I want you all to imbibe the spirit of cooperation and collaboration with members of the public.
“Modern policing is community based, it is intelligence led, and it is technology driven. We must show commitment. We must show capacity. We must show integrity. We must show to the members of the public that we can be trusted. We are the lead agency in internal security. We have to demonstrate this.
“We must show commitment to professionalism. We must improve our relationship with members of the public. We must stop corruption and extortion in our system. It doesn’t pay us.
“Those who have been engaging in extortion, I want to ask you, how has extortion improved your quality of life? The IG enquired.
The IG who listened to the Kano state Police Commissioner Hussaini Muhammad Gumel with keen interest when he reviewed his achievements within 100 days in office as the CP expressed appreciation with him.
He praised his performance and called on the State Command not to relent in it’s effort towards making Kano a crime free society.
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The CP said today marks his 100 days in office and he has surmounted all security challenges he inherited upon assumption of office.
He vows to continue to match his words with actions to ensure crime free state.
“100 notorious thugs have laid down their arms and now working with the command towards ensuring peace and development in the state.”