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| IGP Ibrahim K. Idris |
By Adewole Kehinde
“He Who Saves A Nation Breaks No Law”
– Napoleon
The Nigeria Police is the
principal law enforcement agency in Nigeria with staff strength of about
371,800. There are currently plans to increase the force to 650,000, adding
280,000 new recruits to the existing 371,800. The Nigeria Police is a very large
organization consisting of 36 Commands grouped into 12 Zones and 7
Administrative organs. The Nigeria Police is currently headed by IGP Ibrahim
Kpotun Idris.(Wikipedia)
The vision of the Nigeria Police
is to make Nigeria safer and more secured for economic development and growth;
to create a safe and secured environment for everyone living in Nigeria while
her mission include but not limited to partnering with other relevant Security
Agencies and the public in gathering, collating and sharing of information and
intelligence with the intention of ensuring the safety and security of the
country; participate in efforts to address the root causes of crime while
ensuring that any criminal act is investigated so as to bring the criminals to
Justice in a fair and professional manner.
The values of the Nigeria Police
include: Working together with people irrespective of religious, political,
social or economic affiliations to deliver quality Police service that is
accessible to the generality of the people; Build a lasting trust in the Police
by members of the public; Protect and uphold the rights of persons, to be
impartial and respectful in the performance of Police duties; Continuously
evaluate and improve Police Services; Provide equal opportunities for career developments
for all members of the Force; Cooperate with all relevant government Agencies
and other stakeholders and liaise with the Ministry of Police Affairs and the
Police Service Commission to formulate and implement policies for the effective
Policing of Nigeria.
Section 214 (1) of the 1999
Nigerian constitution provides that: There
shall be a Police Force for Nigeria, which shall be known as the Nigeria Police
Force, and subject to the provisions of this Section no other Police Force
shall be established for the Federation or any part thereof.
(a) The Nigeria Police Force shall
be organised and administered in accordance with such provisions as may be
prescribed by an act of the National Assembly;
(b) The members of the Nigeria
Police shall have such powers and duties as maybe conferred upon them by law;
(c) The National Assembly may make
provisions for branches of the Nigeria Police Force forming part of the Armed
Forces of the Federation or for the protection of harbours, waterways, railways
and air fields.
The Police Act makes provision for
the organisation, discipline, powers and duties of the Police, the Special
Constabulary and the Traffic Wardens. According to the Police Act, the duties
of the Police shall be the
prevention and detection of crime, the apprehension of offenders, the
preservation of law and order, the protection of life and property and the due
enforcement of all laws and regulations with which they are directly charged,
and shall perform such military duties within or outside Nigeria as may be
required of them by, or under the authority of this or any other Act.
When it concerns public safety and
public order as provided for in Section 215 of the 1999 Constitution, the
President may give the Inspector General of Police such directions with respect
to the maintaining and securing of public safety and public order as he may
consider necessary and the Inspector General of Police shall comply with those
directions or cause them to be complied with. Similarly, the Commissioner of
Police in a State shall comply with the directions of the Governor of the State
with respect to the maintaining and securing of public safety and public order
within the State, or cause them to be complied with (Provided that before carrying out
any such direction the Commissioner may request that the matter should be
referred to the President for his directions. The officer’s powers and duties
are conferred by statute).
What powers does a Police Officer
have under the Law? A Police Officer have the power to conduct in person all
prosecutions before any court, whether or not the information or complaint is
laid in his name. A Police officer have the Power to arrest with or without
warrant. (Section 24 of Police
Act); Power to search; Power
to detain and search suspected persons; Power to take fingerprints; Grant Bail
of person arrested without warrant, with or without sureties, for a reasonable
amount to appear before a magistrate at the day, time and place mentioned in
the recognizance.
The primary responsibility of a
Police Officer is to act as an official representative of government who is
required and trusted to work within the law. The fundamental duties of a Police
Officer include serving the
community, safeguarding lives and property, protecting the innocent, keeping
the peace and ensuring the rights of all to liberty, equality and justice; In performing her duties, a Police
officer should perform all duties impartially, without favour of affection or
ill will and without regard to status, sex, race, religion, political belief or
aspiration. All citizens should be treated equally with courtesy, consideration
and dignity. They should conduct themselves both in appearance and composure,
in such a manner as to inspire confidence and respect for the position of public
trust they hold.
A Police Officer should use
responsibly, the discretion vested in his position and exercise it within the
law; A Police Officer should never employ unnecessary force or violence in
discharge of duty, as is reasonable in all circumstances.
Whatever a Police Officer sees,
hears or learns which is of a confidential nature, should be kept secret unless
the performance of duty or legal provision requires otherwise; A Police Officer
should not engage in acts of corruption or bribery, nor will an Officer condone
such acts by other Police Officers. The public demands that the integrity of
Police Officers should be above criticism.
Police Officers should be
responsible for their own Standard of Professional Performance and should take
every reasonable opportunity to enhance and improve their level or knowledge
and competence.
You cannot have a viable democracy without law and order. You
cannot have strong institutions without law and order. And at the heart of
democracy and institutions are the Police who are there to keep the peace,
enforce law and order, investigate crimes and arrest criminals, enforce Judges
and Attorney General’s decisions and also help keep general peace and
stability.
In as much as the Nigeria Police has not lived up to this universal
mantra, I vigorously submit that the fault is not the Police’s and the Police
alone. The Police do not write laws; the Police do not hire and promote
officers; the Police do not fire corrupt and inefficient officers; the Police
are not in charge of budgetary allocations; the Police are not in charge of
procuring uniforms and the tools necessary to do great jobs. The Police,
as it turned out, never really got the respect, the training and the tools it
needed to function properly and achieve great things.
To change the Police, we have to change our Orientation and
National Culture. In order for the Police “to serve and protect with
integrity,” we must honor them; we must provide adequate leadership, adequate
compensation and proper training. We must take care of the men and women who
give their lives in the service of our country. (Sabella Ogbobode Abidde)
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