On Wednesday, The International Society for Civil Liberties
& the Rule of Law (Intersociety) raised alarm over the issue to carry out
ethnic and religious cleansing in the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
This was disclosed in a statement signed by its Chairman,
Emeka Umeagbalasi; Head, Civil Liberties & Rule of Law Programme, Barr
Obianuju Joy Igboeli; Head, Democracy & Good Governance Programme, Barr
Chinwe Umeche; and Head, Public Security & Safety Programme, Barr Jacinta
Ezinwanne.
The body said it doubted the claim by the federal government
on discovery of 80,115 ghost police officers and men.
It read: “According to media reports quoting a data obtained
from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation and Minister of
Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun; there are 80,115 ghost police officers in the staff
strength and payroll of the Nigeria Police Force, from its previously quoted
staff strength of 371, 800.
“In the same ministerial report, the total staff strength of
the Federal Government of Nigeria, said to have been updated as at February
2018 was put at 607, 843 including 469 MDAs with staff strength of 316, 158 and
the Nigeria Police Force with “291, 685 serving police officers”.
“This was further broken down to 100,822 as total staff
strength of Nigerian Custom Service, Nigerian Prisons Service, Nigerian
Immigration Service, Nigerian Security & Civil Defense Corps and the
Federal Road Safety Corps; all referred to “paramilitary formations”. Federal
civil servants also accounted for 90,000 while the remaining 120, 000 others
were drawn from the Armed Forces including the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy,
Nigerian Air Force, State Security Service and the National Intelligence
Agency.
“Contradictorily, the Inspector General of Police, Alhaji
Ibrahim Kpotum Idris had last month during the presentation of the proposed
2018 budget of the Nigeria Police Force at the National Assembly claimed that,
from the NPF updated records of December 2017 the NPF is presently populated by
300,892 officers and maintains 6,900 formations.
“The 6,900 police formations, according to him, include 12
Zonal and 37 State and FCT (Abuja) Commands, 128 Area Commands, 1,388
Divisional Commands, 1,579 Police Stations and 3,756 Police Posts. The IGP
further claimed that the Force presently has a total of 14, 306 vehicles in its
car fleet.
“It is therefore, shocking and alarming how, in spite of the
foregoing police staff database management and clearly established staff query
processes, the Buhari Government still announced without concrete evidence that
the staff strength of the Nigeria Police is criminally over-shot by 27%.
“In other words, the NPF is overpopulated by 27% ghost
police officers or 80, 115 out of 291,685 sworn police personnel. This is not
only incredible and mind boggling, but also nothing short of recording another
inglorious and dark feat.
“Also, if truly there are “80,115 ghost police officers in
the NPF”, why have the Chairman of PSC and IGP not spoken elaborately on such
sensitive issue? Was there a presidential visitation panel set up to probe the
staff strength and payrolls of the NPF? If yes, who were members of the panel?
When was its report submitted and to whom?
“Who and who were indicted particularly at the Force
Headquarters and the Police Service Commission? Was there also a well
publicized ministerial or police or oversight panel so set up for same? If yes,
who were its members? Who constituted it? When was its report submitted and to
whom? “Who and who were indicted?
“We demand that the names of the so called “80,115 ghost
police officers” be made public. This will enable Nigerians and international
watchers as well as possible innocent victims to have full details and enable
them seek administrative, public and legal remedies and avoid being victimized
by the Government.
“Human rights groups and media practitioners are hereby
called upon to forensically follow the development so as to ensure that the
Government announcement is not a ploy or grand design to perpetrate racial or
religious cleansing in the Nigeria Police Force or sweep the scam under the
carpet if it truly happened as officially announced.”
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