Are We from fry-pan to fire: Jonathan appoints Abubakar Acting IG

Are We from fry-pan to fire

The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Hafiz Ringim has been ordered by President Ebele Jonathan to go on a mandatory retirement, a month earlier than he is due for full retirement and replaced in acting capacity by Mohammed Dikko Abubakar, an Assistant Inspector General of police, in charge of Zone 12, Bauchi. In case you don't know, Mohammed Dikko Abubakar, he was indicted by Justice Niki Tobi panel on the September 7, 2001 crisis in Jos, then as the state commissioner of Police, as being the mastermind of the killings of Christians in Jos under the government of Joshua Dariye and the panel recommended that Abubakar should be dismissed if he refused to resign.

Jonathan appoints Abubakar Acting IG

President Goodluck  Jonathan, Wednesday, has approved the appointment of Mr. Mohammed Dikko Abubakar as Acting Inspector General of Police as a first step towards the comprehensive reorganization and repositioning of the Nigeria Police Force to make it more effective and capable of meeting emerging internal security challenges.

Mr. Abubakar who is currently an Assistant Inspector General of Police replaces Mr. Hafiz Ringim who proceeds on terminal leave with effect from today, 25th January 2012.

Born on May 5, 1958, Mr. Abubakar   enlisted in the Nigeria Police Force on July 30, 1979. He was the AIG in charge of Zone 12 Headquarters in Bauchi, before his new appointment.

In a statement by Reuben Abati, Special Adviser to the President (Media and Publicity), the President also approved the retirement of all Deputy Inspectors General of Police with immediate effect. These are: Mrs. Ivy Uche Okoronkwo, DIG POL 2i/c Force Headquarters, Abuja, Mr. Azubuko J. Udah, DIG Administration (“A” Dept), Mr. Sardauna Abubukar, DIG Training (“E” Dept.); Mr. Audu Abubakar, DIG Operations (“B” Dept); Mr. Saleh Abubakar, DIG Works (“C” Dept.) and Mr. Mohammed A. Yesufu, DIG Planning and Info-Tech (“F” Dept.).

*Abubakar

According to the statement, the President also established a Special Committee to oversee the urgent reorganization of the Nigeria Police Force. The committee is to be chaired by the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Mr. Parry B.O Osayande, DIG (rtd).

Other Members of the Committee are:

1.      Mr. Casimir T. Akagbosu, AIG (rtd.), mni

2.      Mr. Bashir A. Albasu, AIG (rtd.), fwc.

3.      Major Gen. S.N. Chikwe, rtd.

4.      Prof. S.D. Mukoro

5.      Dr. Fabian Ajogwu, SAN

6.      Aisha Larai Tukur

7.      Solicitor General of the Federation

8.      Permanent Secretary, SSO, Office of the SGF to serve as the Secretary to the Committee
The statement further listed the committee’s terms of reference as follows:

1.      To identify the challenges and factors militating against effective performance in the Nigeria Police Force and make recommendations for addressing the challenges.

2.      To examine the scope and standard of training and other personnel development activities in the Police to determine their adequacy or otherwise.

3.      To determine the general and specific causes of the collapse of public confidence in the police and recommend ways of restoring public trust in the institution.

4.      To examine records of performance of Officers and Men of the Nigeria Police Force with a view to identifying those that can no longer fit into the system due to declining productivity,  age, indiscipline, corruption and/or disloyalty;

5.      To make any other recommendations for the improvement of the Nigeria Police Force.

The statement added that the Committee’s recommendations shall be implemented along with those by previous committees set up by Government on the reform of the Nigeria Police Force.

Jos crisis panel recommends Police chief Abubakar for retirement (The Nation, 17/02/2010)

The Justice Niki Tobi panel on the Jos 2001 crisis has recommended the retirement of Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Zone 5, Muhammed Abubakar.

Abubakar was Plateau State Commissioner of Police during the ciris.

The panel was constituted by former Governor Joshua Dariye to look into the September 7, 2001 crisis. Since it concluded its sitting, its report was not made public until yesterday.

In a White Paper released in Jos, the state capital yesterday, the panel suggested that Abubakar should be dismissed if he refuses to retire.

The panel said: "Religious fanatics should not be posted to head state police commands. The commission recommends that for his ignoble role during the September 2001 crisis which resulted in the loss of lives, the former Commissioner of Police, Plateau State Command, Alhaji M.D. Abubakar, be advised to retire from the Nigeria Police Force and in the event of his refusal to do so, he should be dismissed from the service."

It recommended that the Hausa/Fulani should be encouraged to discuss with other communities and "accept the ownership of Jos by the Ajizere, Anaguta and Berom".

"Anything short of that will not make for peace", the panel added.

It noted: "The non-implementation by government of the report of previous commissions of enquiries and in particular the report of the commission of enquiry into the riots of April 12, 1994 in Jos metropolis (the main features of which are very similar to the September 2001 civil disturbances) is a sure recipe for a repeat performance of such disturbances".

The government also released a White Paper on the Justice Aribiton Fibersima panel on the Jos 1994 crisis. The panel investigated the April 1994 Jos crisis.

Its report said: "There was strong and convincing evidence before the commission that: on April 11, 1994, just a day before the fateful day, Alhaji Yaya Aga Abubakar, the President of Jasawa Development Association, in the company of Alhaji Aminu Mato’s younger brother, Sanusi Mato, held a meeting at Masallaci Juma at Jos with the Jasawa community during which they resolved to carry out a demonstration the following day.

"So, Yaya Abubakar and Sanusi Mato were directly connected with riots. They were the leaders of the insurrection that brought disaster and shame to Jos metropolis, to Plateau State and to Nigeria, that brought death and destruction of lives and properties".

"A recurrent friction for many years between the Berom, Anaguta and Afizere on the one hand and the Hausa/Fulani tribe on the other hand is the remote cause of the riots. Each part of lays claim to Jos."

The report urged the government "to spread its intelligence gathering network far and wide to cover all individuals and organisations (such as religious, cultural, and social organisations) that could be potentially dangerous to peace and order."