Police chiefs, especially those in the ranks of Deputy Commissioners of Police and Assistant Commissioners of Police, are presenting seething in anger as news filtered out that the Police Service Commission’s Chairman, Sir Mike Mbama Okiro, has prepared another “Police Special Promotion List”.
This news came just as Okiro is clearing his office table in preparation for vacating the seat of the chairman of the PSC.
Okiro is expected to leave the office by June 11.
He was appointed on a single tenure of five years on June 11, 2013.
Okiro is a former Inspector-General of Police before he was appointed as the PSC chairman.
When he was appointed as PSC chairman, several Civil Society Organisations kicked against his appointment, alleging that he had integrity issues.
Another former Inspector-General of Police, Musiliu Smith, has already been announced as the new kid in the block and is waiting impatiently at the bay for Okiro to take a hike.
Before the appointment of Smith, other retired police chiefs had battled for the mantle.
Also, four Deputy Inspector-Generals of Police made underground moves for the position.
The four DIGs are expected to retire by July.
There would be four vacancies for management positions by July.
Since Okiro’s appointment, several scandals had rocked his administration, chief among them being allegations of promotions for sale to highest bidder, often clothed as special promotions.
Okiro had been confronted with some of these accusations and allegations, but had staunchly denied them.
The latest allegation now is that Okiro has fine-tuned plans and had come up with a masterplan to promote some policemen to the ranks of Commissioners of Police.
According to sources, Okiro has allegedly described the forthcoming promotions as his “parting gift”.
Policemen are however seething because those that are going to benefit from the alleged parting gift are at the lower cadre of Deputy Commissioners of Police.
The promotion will witness the beneficiaries becoming senior to those already at the upper cadre waiting for their promotion.
A source close to the PSC said: “We heard that more than five policemen have been penciled down for this Okiro’s parting gift.
“But the truth is that influential politicians are the ones agitating for those policemen to be promoted before Okiro leaves office.
“The announcement will be made soon.”
It is also gathered that not long ago, some policemen lobbied to be promoted to the ranks of CPs since their retirement was close.
They were given and most of them had since retired. M
eanwhile, those who are their senior in the police list, are still waiting to be promoted.
A policeman said: “The system has been bastardised.
“How can PSC keep promoting junior officers over their seniors?
“The system should be stabilized and the right policing tradition upheld.
“We are, however, hopeful, that Smith will sanitise the PSC.
“There are many senior policemen, especially DCP, who should be promoted, but had not been promoted.
“There are many of them in police as senior DCP, but their juniors have been promoted and they are still there.
“Why?”
Another fumed: “The truth is that politicians have taken over Nigerian Police.
“Ranks, especially senior police ranks, shouldn’t be for dash or to repay political favours.
“Now, we heard that some policemen, who are not yet due for promotions, are about to be promoted to the ranks of CP by outgoing PSC chairman.
“Why?
“It’s not right.
“Go and investigate, many of their seniors are yet to be promoted.
“We have repeatedly complained about this illegal ways of promoting policemen, but no matter what we say or the avalanche of complaints, the PSC still goes ahead to do that which is wrong.
“And everyone is watching, doing and saying nothing.
“The rank of a CP is not something you just give out.
“There are systems and requirements; challenges the person ought to have mastered and surmounted.
“He shouldn’t be a half-baked CP.
“A CP who doesn’t know anything.
“Most of our policemen have become political policemen.
“They spend their most of their times lobbying for promotions than policing.
“Why should you promote a junior officer to become his superiors’ senior just because you want him to take over a certain office or position?
“What about others?
“Why can’t they do the same job?”
One of the aggrieved policemen snarled: “Take a case study of the present Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, he is one of the least policemen in the list of DCP, yet he was given CP, while many of his seniors, who are uppermost in the list are still DCP.
“The same scenario played out with the present Kogi State Commissioner of Police.
“The only policemen that deserve special promotions are Abba Kyari and Ibrahim Kolo.
“These two policemen are often inside thick forest, fighting and tracking herdsmen.
“They work well and work hard.
“Aside these two policemen, nobody wants to work.
“They continually put their lives on the line.
“Their minds are keyed and geared towards solving crimes.
“They merited their special promotions.
“But others are in the office, fawning over their bosses and politicians and scheming for promotions, which would be described as special promotions.
“They are sycophants and are ready to do anything for a promotion.”
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