On NPF’s attitude towards graduate rank and file and inspectors By Afolabi Gambari

In view of the reform in the Nigeria Police Force being
envisaged under the new Inspector General Mohammed Adamu, it has
become imperative to address the neglect meted to universityand
polytechnic graduates in the Force’s rank and file and inspectors
by previous administrations in order for justice and sense of
belonging to prevail.

It is trite to say that the major duty of Police personnel is to
protect lives and property which is done through detecting,
investigating and apprehending of offenders, as well as guard
duties, patrols, check point and prompt response to crime alerts,
etc. It is also paramount to stress that these graduates in the
rank and file and inspectors are deployed for all the above listed
assignments and more, although senior Police officers would be
assigned to accompany them. However, it should be stressed that
statistics has shown that the rank and file and inspectors have
suffered major casualties than the senior officers during Police
operations.

Despite the busy schedules assigned to the rank and file and
inspectors, however, a considerable number among them have squeezed
time for self-improvement in educating themselves even to the PhD
level.

Interestingly, the Police Force has yet to put in place a system
that would periodically absorb these experienced men and women
among the rank and file and inspectors into the elite cadre of the
Force. This particular situation has resulted in several university
graduates retiring as inspectors of Police after 35 years of
service; which is a step less than the entry point for a university
degree holder. Only a few lucky ones retire as assistant
superintendent of Police.

The Police Academy is a brilliant idea by the Police Force as it
would serve the purpose of a university, which would enable the
academy graduates to be absorbed into the Force’s officers’ cadre.
But fairness demands that this should not be used to bar the main
university and polytechnic-educated ones from also joining the
elite cadre, especially as they deserve their status through the
required educational qualification.

The last Cadet ASP exercise that was done by the Nigeria Police
Force in 2014, which ended in 2015, was in three stages – state,
zonal and national – and more than 10,000 university graduates
participated. A previous exercise had been held in 2011. After the
rigorous screening at the 2014 exercise, the Nigeria Police
Commission chose 50 persons per state across the country.
Thereafter, the Police Headquarters in Abuja demanded for files of
the chosen persons which were promptly submitted in December 2015.
To this day, however, nothing has been said by the authorities on
the published list of the chosen candidates through a Police signal
usually deployed to pass information in the Force.

From the foregoing, therefore, it is imperative to call on the
incumbent IGP to look into this matter with a view to exacting
justice in correcting the wrong of the past. No one doubts the
ability and resolve of the IGP to achieve this onerous task with
the dispatch it deserves. He has been a proven academically
excellent officer who rose to the top of Police hierarchy in
Nigeria through excellence in all his endeavours that have spanned
over three decades. In a short time since the IGP assumed office,
his inclination for positive reforms have been felt across the
Force. So, it is expected of him to work in concert with the Police
Service Commission to consider the concerns of the university and
polytechnic graduates among the Police rank and file and inspectors
so that they can enjoy a desired sense of belonging that would
ultimately aid their resolve to give their all to the Nigeria
Police Force for the overall benefit of the country. Specifically,
the pending files at the Police Headquarters in Abuja since
December 2015 should be treated with dispatch so that the would-be
beneficiaries could be allowed to proceed on the cadet ASP training
that would guarantee their elevation so that the ones coming behind
them can also get their due turn.