The retiring Inspector General of Police Abubakar Dikko Mohammed recently thrilled himself with the mistaken belief that he would hoodwink unsuspecting members of the public to see him as a humble officer, when he assumed the role of the traffic warden somewhere in Abuja. This comical side to law enforcement at a time of national emergency, caused by the highest state of insecurity created by the activities of the murderous gangs of Islamic extremists, is to say the least the highest degree of dereliction of duty. The Inspector-General of Police would have been better appreciated if he was seen in the front line of the counter insurgency battle in the North-East, and not to embark on the bizarre display of misplacement of priority.

This is the same man that has occupied the seat of the nation’s chief-of-police, in over four years, when the Nigeria Police declined to an all-time low, in terms of standard of law enforcement and the level of discipline among its operatives and officers.

It is during his tenure that the rampaging armed Islamic extremists in the North-east completely destroyed police presence in that restive region, necessitating the deployment of armed soldiers to take over the functions of the police in maintaining internal security. Even in Abuja, the police do not have the confidence of the residents going by the fact that soldiers are deployed to do the routine policing work of internal security. This is how low the police under the outgoing IGP reached.

But an activist reputable for working in police circles, Mr. Okechukwu Nwangwuma, sent to my mail what may pass as a most shocking revelation of the state of decline of the current Nigerian Police Force. He wrote that about a week ago, someone called him to confirm the disturbing information he received that the outgoing Inspector General of Police, Mr M.D. Abubakar, had reinstated Mr Sam Chukwu, an alleged 'rogue Cop' who, in 2012, while serving as the DPO of Ogui Police Station, Enugu, was implicated in alleged high-level kidnapping in Enugu.

He said even as he had initiated effort, and was still in the moves, to confirm this information, the news was broken by Sahara Reporters, confirming the shocking development: that Mr. Chukwu was redeployed and now serving as the new zonal provost at the Zone 9 headquarters of the Nigerian Police, Umuahia, the capital of Abia State. The appointment took effect on July 17.

As part of the duties in his new assignment, Mr. Chukwu will be responsible for determining and ensuring disciplinary actions on errant officers.
Mr. Nwangwuma recalled that in February 2012, Justice Afam Nwobodo of the Enugu High Court had issued an arrest warrant for Sam Chukwu in connection with the kidnap, in 2009, of 19-year-old Lotachukwu (Lota) Ezeudu. The kidnap victim, who was then a second-year accountancy student at the University of Nigeria (Enugu campus), has never been seen since, and is presumed dead. Lota was a friend of Mr. Chukwu's son, who is also standing trial for his involvement in the crime.

Justice Nwobodo had reportedly issued the arrest warrant after Mr Chukwu failed to voluntarily present himself in court for arraignment.

Okechukwu Nwangwuma said he will be shocked if, indeed, the IGP Abubakar, who is due to retire on July 30 - just three days away- from the Nigeria Police Force, will know about this. How could he choose to end his career on such a scandalous note?
Why would any sane and moral police chief reinstate a senior police officer who is a fugitive from justice, after being indicted for allegedly masterminding an extensive list of criminal activities, including running a kidnap ring in Enugu State? Let the retiring IGP respond to this charge before exiting.

I do agree with Mr. Nwagwuma that, “with this type of police, Nigeria’s hope for safety and security is illusory. Its fragile democracy is gravely threatened.”

•RIGHTSVIEW appears twice a week on Wednesday and Saturdays, in addition to special appearances. The Columnist, popular activist Emmanuel Onwubiko, is a former Federal Commissioner of Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission and presently National Coordinator of Human Rights Writers’ Association of Nigeria (HURIWA).

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