NATIONAL: I’m in firm control of Police Force – IGP replies retired general

THE Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has reacted to a claim by a retired army general, Garba Wahab, that he has lost control of  the Nigeria Police Force.

Wahab made the claim while commenting on the pervasive insecurity in the country when he appeared on Channels Television’s ‘Sunrise Daily’.’

Garba said “the IGP may be sitting in Abuja with the paraphernalia of office, but he has lost the control of the police force.”

But the IGP described the general’s comments as “ignorant.”

The IGP reaction was contained in a statement titled, ‘Workings of the NPF: IGP is in firm control.’

It read; “The attention of the Nigeria Police Force has been drawn to comments and reactions during an interview session on Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily programme of 13th November, 2020 where one Major General Garba Wahab (rtd) commented that ‘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.

“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 statement noted that the retired general clearly spoke on a subject outside his areas of core competence.

It added that his comments showed 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.”