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The Brouhaha About Mike Okiro’s Double Promotion In The Police By emeka oraetoka
The recent decision of Police Service Commission, the sole authority responsible for the promotion of senior police officers in Nigeria, to demote the immediate past Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu along side one hundred and thirty nine [139] others from their current ranks to former ranks, has elicited diverse reactions from a cross section of Nigerians on the correctness of PSC’s action.
Many have spoken against the demotion on the grounds that it was carried out with a view to humiliating Nuhu Ribadu, believed to have recklessly presided over the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC] during his Chairmanship. The proponents of witch-hunt apparently failed to advance any sound legal back-up to justify their displeasure with the action of Police Service Commission (PSC). However, many have spoken in favour of the exercise [demotion], saying that it will go a long way in calming frayed nerves in the police; as information has it that agitation against the way and manner these officers were promoted had badly affected the morale of the police as an institution. Infact, it is believed that the Police, by demoting Ribadu and others, only saved itself from itself, as promotion was grossly politicized in recent past to the detriment of the Institution.
The antagonists of demotion have claimed that if the immediate past boss of EFCC was demoted on account of the double promotion he enjoyed in the past, then the Inspector General of Police, Sir Mike Okiro is equally guilty of the same offence of dual promotion, and therefore should follow suite in the demotion for the sake of justice, which they feel, government has failed to accord Nuhu Ribadu and others. But is the allegation of double promotion leveled against the Inspector General of Police justified? According to information, it was said that when Mike Okiro was Commissioner of Police in charge of Lagos State , he successfully checked the menace of armed robbery in the state to the admiration of all. His efforts in combating crime in Lagos led to clamour for his retention in the state as commissioner. Since the people of Lagos spoke in his favour, the authorities then, bowed to the wishes of these Lagosians, and retained Okiro’s as Commissioner in charge of the state, even though his promotion to the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police [AIG] had already been consummated. It could be said that Okiro’s promotion from the rank of Commissioner to that of AIG was put on hold for the reason mentioned here, till a suitable replacement was found in Young Arabame.
When he now left the job of Commissioner of Police in Lagos State , his last promotion together with the current one were simultaneously effected so that it now appeared as if he, Mike Okiro was double promoted as in the case of Nuhu Ribadu; to less informed Nigerians anyway. In a nutshell, Mike Okiro double promotion came as a result of clamour for his retention as commissioner in Lagos state, even though, he had been promoted to the position of AIG. This fact about Mike Okiro double promotion is well known to many elites in Nigeria today. It is however, worrisome that well informed Nigerians have engaged in warped comparison of Okiro’s promotion and that of Nuhu Ribadu to suggest the situation in George Orwell’s Animal Farm, where all animals are equal but some are more equal than the others. Though, personalities like the former inspector general of police, Alhaji Gambo Jimeta, has thrown his weight behind the demotion of Nuhu Ribadu and others by the PSC and this is a clear indication that the action of PSC was correct from the point of view of legalism, Equity based motivation etc. Alhaji Gambo Jimeta, a former IG of police, knows the implication of arbitrary promotion in the force; this probably made him to speak in favour of the demotion. Alhaji Abubakar Tsave, another former police top shot has also spoken in support of the demotion of Nuhu Ribadu and others. The fact that no former police bigwig in Nigeria has spoken against the demotion of Ribadu and others shows that the action of PSC was not only correct, but timely; as they- retired top police officers are reliable authorities as far as issues like this is concerned in Nigeria police. For avoidance of doubt, this how Gambo Jimeta reacted on the demotion of Ribadu and others in Weekly Trust of August 16, 2008: “The reversal of the illegal promotion is not because of Ribadu or any of the 139 officers. For what? It is not victimization. What about Iwendi? What has he done wrong or who has he victimized? It is not about Ribadu. We are talking about moral issue; of people who are not due for promotion but got it illegally without due process. This reversal is the best thing that has ever happened to restore discipline and confidence in the police force----”
It could be recalled that the same clamour for retention of officers who performed brilliantly in their various offices was made in this same Lagos state, when Colonel Buba Marwa was the Governor of the State. Arising from his brilliant performance in the state, in his capacity as the Governor, Lagosians made case for his retention in exact manner Okiro was asked to stay. In a nutshell, Okiro’s promotion cannot in anyway be compared to that of Nuhu Ribadu, unless on the basis of mischief, which in any case will still collapse if subjected to critical analysis and intellectual rigour.
Emeka Oraetoka, Information Management consultant & Researcher Wrote this piece from Garki- Abuja. |