Senator Misau Vs the Nigeria Police
Senator Isah Misau is both a police officer and a senator. If we deny Misau, we also deny the Nigeria Police and the Senate. Equally, if we support Misau, we’re also in support of the police and the senate- that’s where the contradictions begin and end.
The police have found themselves in a social order completely alien to their primary role - policing. This situation has clearly proven the age-long belief in the linkage between inept political leadership; dysfunctional economy and policing. Whenever the police of a nation is plagued by poor conditions of service, deplorable work environment, lack of incentives and motivation, corruption, low level of public confidence and serious lack of expertise in some specialised fields, the best option for officers when they find themselves on a tight-rope is- ‘hue, cry and run’. However, three things can save the Nigeria police. These are reform; reform; reform!
The Nigeria Police needs reform in three areas - leadership, methodology and culture and attitude. Although the Nigeria Police had witnessed quite a number of changes in many of its segments from its inception in 1861 when it began with a 30-member consular guard formed in the then Lagos Colony.
Time has come for Nigeria to experiment an entirely different method of choosing who heads the police. After nearly 53 years of having an IGP from the rank and file of the police, let the police be headed by a civilian. Did I hear someone say “this idea must be from the outer space”? No doubt, the police have some fine and intelligent officers who persevere with the many challenges of the job. Some of them inspire the trust and confidence of the public, the current IGP Ibrahim Idris is one of such officers. However, in general, The Nigerian Police dearly needs a new direction and different orientation. In addition, it needs modernisation and massive reorganisation similar to what obtains in private corporations.
A highly-experienced, private-sector-trained manager is an ideal candidate to drive towards such new direction. This is because he or she will have little or no social mentality of ‘one person is in charge of another’. He will provide junior officers who are always in the field the chances to weigh in with their view. He or she will look at things ‘off-the-police-shelves’ to see what the public expects and needs from the police. A civilian head for the police will not contemplate using imaginative ideas to strike a new resonance within the officers and men of the police. He or she would use his private sector background to bring visible functionality and efficiency in police; in addition, eliminate multiple layers of bureaucracy. Though, some individuals when given the opportunity to lead government agencies suddenly develop big egos. But most disciplined private-sector-trained person with excellent “BS meter” would have a ‘healthy’ ego to want the responsibilities of the job. Such a person would also understand that, for the reforms to succeed, it cannot be imposed on the police. Thus, all strategies and plans must be communicated and a buy-in created along the way among officers - especially junior officers. In general, a private-sector-trained civilian head for the police will come with a different state of mind. The Nigerian police have some intelligent officers; but at this crucial time of its existence, the police needs someone outside its ranks and file.
The public expects the police to prevent crime, and maintain peace and public order. However, Nigerian police job is dangerous, with highest rates of on-the-job injury and death. The police operate without up-to-date and high-tech policing equipment - you cannot fight crime with only guns, bow and arrows and jalopy pickup vans.