A Frontline rights group, Vanguard for Transparent Leadership and Democracy (VATLAD) has called on President Bola Tinubu to direct the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun to allow Governors and the Minister of Federal Capital Territory to chose Commissioners of Police for their respective States and the Federal Capital Territory.
According to a statement issued on monday by Comrade Igbini Odafe Emmanuel, National President (VATLAD), the measure will complement existing efforts to resolve the insecurity challenges across the Federation.
“With the increasing level of insecurity in all States of the Federal and the FCT, it has become necessary for us to call on President Tinubu to as a matter of urgency, direct the Inspector General of Police to allow the Governors and the Minister of Federal Capital Territory to chose among qualified senior Police Officers who to be deployed as Commissioners of Police to their Individual States and the Federal Capital Territory as a measure to resolve the insecurity across the Federation,Igbini said.
“It is a wrong practice that State Governors and the Minister of FCT are not allowed the right to be part of the process of deciding Police Officers deployed to their States and FCT as Commissioners of Police for the maintenance of Public Order and Public Safety which are the constitutional Responsibilities of the State Governors and the Minister of FCT.
“Why should the Governors not be the ones to decide who should be deployed to their States and in whom they trust to assist them in this regard?
“What is even more ironic and contradictory is the fact that Governors are removed from Office by the President of Nigeria by invoking section 305 (3) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, as amended, to proclaim state of emergency in any State where there is clear and present danger of actual breakdown of Public Order and Public Safety. What then will be the justification for removing a Governor who is not part of and allowed to choose who the Commissioner of Police is in his State?
Igbini further noted that as new Police Commissioners are set to be deployed to some States, the Governors of the affected States should be allowed to choose the Officers to be deployed to their States to enhance synergy between the Governors who provide huge funds to support the Police Force and the Nigeria Police Force. In the same way, the Minister of FCT should also be allowed to choose the Commissioner of Police for the FCT.
