Former Inspector General of Police, Hafiz Ringim, said he gave his job the best shot he could while it lasted.
Ringim spoke at the Force Headquarters Abuja while handing over to the acting Inspector General of Police, MD Abubakar, who promised to give policing a new face.
Ringim said that since the time he was appointed as the IGP until he left, he never handled his job shoddily.
He said: “I have done my beat within the period that Mr. President has graciously appointed me as the IGP.
“I told you what I was going to do and to some extent I did the best I could.
“I gave this challenge the best shot and I sincerely believe that I succeeded to a very large extent.
“Anyone can contest that.
“I will not be bothered.
“But I sincerely believe that under my leadership that the Nigeria Police Force has creditably well discharge its functions and its obligations.
“It is in this regard I will pray that God Almighty would afford the gentleman that sits on my left also the opportunity and wisdom to steer the ship of the NPF better.”
Ringim said that he retired from the force graciously, having applied to President Goodluck Jonathan to proceed on his terminal leave, adding: “You all aware that upon my request to Mr. President to commence my move for retirement, it became necessary for Mr. President to appoint a new Inspector General of Police.
“Because of the fact that I needed to go for retirement, which letter I wrote to the President and which approval I also received from the Distinguished Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, it became necessary for the President to appoint a new IG and that IG is Mr. Mohammed Dahiru Abubakar as I earlier said.
“I took time to brief him and I as said, briefing a new IGP is not an easy matter considering the task ahead of him.
“But that being the case, we have successfully discussed and I have briefed him on what I know so far to be his duties and responsibilities.
“I have placed him on notice of the enormous responsibility that lies ahead of him.
“It is my sincere wish, ladies and gentlemen, particularly the officers here at the Force Headquarters, that with the wisdom that you had with me you should give him the same support and encouragement as well as the assistance you gave me in order for him to succeed.
“The task before him, ladies and gentlemen, is by no means an enormous one.
“I also solicit for the support of our friends, our colleagues, brothers and sisters, the media men who choose to make and unmake.
“I sincerely wish you will give him the support that he needs to succeed.”
Ringim was at the handover ceremony with the retired Deputy Inspectors General of Police who are leaving with him.
After the exit of Ringim, Abubakar told the officers present and media men that he would want to be properly briefed before making any major pronouncement but that he is conversant with the challenges of the job.
He said: “As you know, I am not a new comer to the challenges.
“I cannot run away from the fact that I know some of the challenges.
“However, I want to assure all Nigerians that this administration will be different from any other administration because all officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force will belong to the same family.
“We shall focus on areas of interest such as training and retraining programmes, welfare schemes and the challenges of fighting crime in this country.
“We shall go every nook and cranny of this country to do what is expected of the NPF in respect of fighting crime and criminality.
“This administration would not tolerate any, and I mean any act of indiscipline, corruption and I intend to live a good example.
“Therefore, officers and men would be positioned, posted based on their competence and their ability to perform.
“Individual officers would be accessed base on their performance and not based on who they are.
“Gentlemen of the press, I need your support, I need you cooperation.
“We are in this together and Nigeria is greater than any of us and every officer of the Nigeria Police Force needs to be rededicated and recommitted and be fair in the discharge of his responsibilities because you will be asked questions in any area of irresponsibility you display in office or out of office.”
Asked how he intends to combat the dreaded sect, Boko Haram, Abubakar said: “Whatever name you give it, either Boko Haram or armed robbery, we shall fight crime in all its ramifications.”
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