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Police demotion: The need to demote both Shehu Musa Yar'Adua and Mike Okiro |
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Monday, 11 August 2008 |
We condemn in strong terms the recent demotion of 140 senior police officers including Mr. Nuhu Ribadu and Late Haz Iwendi. The circumstances preceding the absurd demotions have rendered the whole exercise suspect, illegal, ill advised, morbid, immoral and perfidious.
First, it beats any ones imagination that gallant and patriotic police officers, who had, by sheer courage and efficiency, earned promotions from the police force could be so humiliated by the Police Service Commission on the scanty excuse that their promotions were irregular and did not follow “due process”. There is no evidence to show that victims of this national embarrassment sought, lobbied or influenced their promotions. Assuming without conceding that they did, relevant confirming authorities had their standards and criteria before endorsing the exercise. In consequence, it is apparently too late in the day for the Police Service Commission to punish, embarrass and humiliate the beneficiaries for the alleged transgressions or inaction of a separate independent body. Secondly, the Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Police Service Commission has by this demotion, promoted indolence and mediocrity with a debilitating decline in the morale of the officers of the Nigerian police force. It is absurd to think that Haz Iwendi who was once saddled with the onerous job of sprucing the disgusting image of the Nigerian Police Force and later superintended the Kaduna Police Command until his death could be so disgraced even in death. Whereas we have heard of post-humus promotions, recognition and award this is about the first time colleagues of the same security formation (inspite of the esprit-de-corps bond) turned quickly to betray one of their own at a time when he has lost every opportunity to defend himself. Demotion ordinarily connotes punishment which pre-supposes wrong doing on the part of the person being demoted. By the same analogy the CDHR hereby calls on the President Yar ‘Adua to set in motion, the necessary machineries for the review and possible demotion of Late General Shehu Musa Yar ‘Adua who was promoted from the rank of Lt. Col to Brigadier General and then Major General within a short space of two years and out of turn. This must be done because he who seeks equity must do equity just as he who comes to equity must come with a clean hands. We reckon that that was an exercise in the Nigeria Army. However, but even the incumbent Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro earned a double promotion at some point of his career. You would recall that DIG Ogbonnaya Onovo was already the acting Inspector General of Police as the most senior serving officer after Ehindero’s exit before Mr. Mike Okiro was appointed as the substantive Inspector General of Police. The Police Service Commission must address such apparent irregularity in the promotion and appointment of the incumbent IG. SIGNED MALACHY UGWUMADU ESQ. General Secretary THE NATIONAL SECRETARIAT COMMITTEE FOR THE DEFENCE OF HUMAN RIGHTS (CDHR) RIGHTS HOUSE, 43 ADENIYI JONES AVENUE P. O. BOX 4601, IKEJA, LAGOS, NIGERIA. Email:
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cdhr: My right is my right, is my right!
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