Ribadu’s curious promotion started massive corruption in police – Misau
Isah Misau, senator representing Bauchi central, says the “curious promotion” of Nuhu Ribadu, a former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), was the beginning of a “massive scale” corruption in the police.
In an interview with PUNCH, Misau said Ribadu was promoted from the position of an assistant commissioner of police to assistant inspector-general of police within two years.
He said although Parry Osanyande, the then chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), reversed it, the trend returned during the tenure of Mike Okiro and Mohammed Dikko Abubakar.
He said the situation has resulted in low morale amongst police officers.
“The use of special promotion on a massive, corrupt scale started with the curious promotion of the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, and 133 others,” the senator said.
“This officer was promoted from assistant commissioner of police to assistant inspector general of police within a space of two years by the former IGP, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, and the situation was however remedied by Mr. Parry Osanyande, the then chairman of the PSC who reversed all such promotions.
“Rather unfortunately, this trend bounced back during the tenure of Mr. Mike Okiro through the period of MD Abubakar, Suleiman Abba and assumed the worst dimension under the tenure of Solomon Arase.
“The Police Service Commission appears to have abandoned its core mandate of recruitment, training, discipline and retirement of officers to engage exclusively in promotion racketeering. The abuse of office has not only worsened corruption in the force but has bred animosity among officers, especially those passed over.
“Some officers so promoted find it hard to give orders to their subordinates, who in actual fact are their superiors.”
The senator who accused Ibrahim Idris, inspector-general of police (IGP), of collecting money from police officers before they are given special promotion, further said, “All officers in the Nigeria Police Force are also guided by civil service rules. Within these rules, promotions are based on merit.
“But most of the special promotions you have in the police today are given to policemen attached to politicians and other VIPs.”
