The Nigeria Police Force, Tuesday, descended heavily on a retired army General who weighed in on the aftermath of the ENDSARS protests and their devastating effect on the nation, and submitted that the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, had lost total control of the Force.
Retired Major General Garba Wahab made the assertion in a live television programme, Sunrise Daily on Channels Television on Friday, November 13, 2020.
But in a release issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, Mr Frank Mba, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, the Force roundly rubbished the General’s claim, saying: “he spoke purely out of ignorance and from a jackboot mentality that lacks proper understanding of democratic policing culture, rooted in the Rule of Law.”
IGP Adamu, the release further asserted, was in firm control of the Nigeria Police Force.
Below is the full text of the press release:
WORKINGS OF THE NPF: IGP IS IN FIRM CONTROL
- Rtd Major General Garba Wahab’s Position Clearly Wrong
- Spoke On Issues Outside His Area Of Core Competence, Says IGP
The attention of the Nigeria Police Force has been drawn to comments and reactions during an interview session on Channels TV Sunrise Daily program of 13th November, 2020 where one Major General Garba Wahab (rtd) commented that “…rather than improving the improvement (sic) …the IGP is sitting down there with all the paraphernalia of office deprived of actually having control of police… he is not in control”. The Force wishes to categorically state that the Rtd Major General is wrong in his assertion as IGP Adamu is firmly in control of the administration and operation of the Nigeria Police Force. It notes that the comments by Rtd Major General Garba Wahab shows that he spoke purely out of ignorance and from a jackboot mentality that lacks proper understanding of democratic policing culture, rooted in the Rule of Law. It reiterates that the retired Officer clearly spoke on a subject outside his areas of core competence.
It is noteworthy that since his assumption of office as the 20th indigenous Inspector-General of Police, IGP M.A Adamu, NPM, mni, a global policing icon, has in the past twenty-three months of his leadership of the Force, shown sterling qualities in what the operational/administrative command and control of the Force should be. This is exemplified in the various reform policies being implemented to reposition the Force for greater efficiency, uphold the rule of law in policing actions and drive a citizen-centred policing approach. It is to the credit of his robust leadership style that even in the face of the recent violence occasioned by the ENDSARS protest and provocative attacks on Police personnel and assets, the officers under his command exercised maximum restraint and stayed calm, professional and committed to maintaining law and order in the country.
The Force therefore enjoins the general public and privileged opinion moulders not to allow sentiments becloud their sense of judgment but to use opportunities of national platforms to offer constructive criticisms and advocate opinions that will help in improving governance generally and policing in particular in the country. Major General Garba Wahab (rtd) will do well to fact-check his assumptions before going public.
DCP FRANK MBA
FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
FORCE HEADQUARTERS
ABUJA