By Christopher Oji
A private security expert, Mr. Mathew Ibadin has appealed to the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun to evolve a system of redefining the roles of the Spy Police and the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) so that the members of the two bodies would play higher and more effective roles in crime fighting and intelligence.
The security practitioner and Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Badinson Security Limited, in a press statement at the weekend, praised the IGP for the recent Police Conference/ retreat in Owerri, Imo State, saying that since the event centred largely on ways to map out new strategies to fight crimes, it would be ideal to bring the Spy Police and PCRC members into playing more recognizable roles in the fight against crime.
According to him, the NPF, should learn to utilize the services of Spy Police particularly in investigation and other related activities since they were effectively trained by the same institution instead of leaving the personnel to remain redundant with no meaningful role to play. Similarly, he argued that since most members of the PCRC volunteered to assist the police, the IGP should review the role of PCRC and make such role to come with value addition with respect to fighting crime and providing intelligence and not merely to attend meetings.
He also suggested that : “As way of increasing the financial strength of the Force beyond the statutory allocation that comes to it from the Federation account, Egbetokun should review certain services of the police with a view to commercializing them”. He gave example of such services as the Police Printing Press, which he argued can be remodeled and equipped with modern printing machines to render commercial printing to members of the public.
He also advised that individuals who need the personal protective services of Mobile Policemen should pay commensurately to the coffers of the police instead of the current abuse in the use of Mobile Police Force personnel.
Ibadin,who congratulated Egbetokun on his confirmation as substantive IGP a few days ago by the Police Council, applauded his ingenuity and advised him to take the tasks that require his urgent attention seriously. He commended Egbetokun for what he called the “robustness” of the recent three-day police conference and retreat.
The conference had attracted Deputy Inspectors General of Police, Assistant Inspectors General of Police, Commissioners of Police and Heads of Strategic Units in the Nigeria Police Force.
The Badison Security Chieftain described the Owerri event as unique and one of the best conferences and retreats ever organized for senior police officers in the Police Force.
Ibadin who personally attended the event , said the ingenuity of Egbetokun in putting strategies in place on how best to tackle some of the challenges facing the police has undoubtedly left great hope for a better policing in Nigeria under his watch.
Touching on a wide range of issues, Ibadin who trained in various aspects of private security over the years, advocated for more funding for the police and reiterated his earlier position that companies and multinationals operating in Nigeria should earmark some percentage of their budget for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to funding of police activities, just as he encouraged the citizenry to always show love to policemen particularly those who work under difficult conditions on the highways.
He further advised Egbetokun to make his administration more inclusive by initiating a periodic stakeholders’ conference whereby members of the civil society interface with the IGP with a view to volunteering relevant security information that would help him in fighting crime.
Since Nigeria is having an increasing number of people who trained in private investigation, Ibadin said it would be ideal for IGP to evolve a system of engaging such private investigators in investigation activities while such private investigators should primarily be licensed in line with the Police Act, 2020.
While commending officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force for working with high degree of commitment in the most difficult environment, Ibadin argued that a country can do without the Military but no country can do without the police.
He, therefore, urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to create a special intervention fund for the Nigeria Police, as he insisted that the welfare of Police personnel should be paramount. He recalled that in the years past, policemen were usually provided with operational vehicles for investigation, and wondered why such a practice is no longer possible.
While describing the Nigeria Police as one of the best police in the world “because they perform creditably without the necessary tools needed for effective policing, the security chieftain urged Government to provide the police with tracking device, bullet proof jackets and 24 hours light at the police station across the country. “There should also be laptop, people should be able to send their complaints through email Zone , State Command, Area Command and Division Headquarters he said.
He noted further that crime is local, therefore investigation should be domesticated, he advised even as he called for increased funding of the Nigeria Police which previous governments neglected.
With respect to promotion in the Police Force, Ibadin urged the IGP to eradicate special promotion syndrome in the police and should reflect same in the Police Act during amendment.