Akiolu: Army killed the efficiency of the police

Rilwan Akiolu, oba of Lagos, says the Nigeria army has killed the efficiency of the police.

Akiolu said this on Wednesday while speaking at a senate public hearing on a bill seeking to reform the police.

The mornach said more money should be voted to the police apart from statutory allocations.

“It is the Nigerian army who actually killed the efficiency of the police. Some of our junior officers are out there taking goods on credit for a money that has not come,” he said.

“When I was on course in 2000, in my paper, I did recommend that apart from the normal allocations, part of the profit of the multinationals should be set aside for the police.The problem of the police is the government.

“When I joined the force as a cadet inspector in 1970s, I prayed to almighty Allah that I do not pray to become an inspector-general of police because I will not take any post that anyone will come and dictate to me. The IG made mention of something about the senate not confirming IGP, I am in support of that.

“The problem of the police is the junior police officers themselves. They have to change their orientation and the way they behave to the public. Majority of them. Two, the political class. The government will always want to put their stooges as inspector general.”

Akiolu asked the senators to reduce their take home pay.

“The senate and the sponsor of this bill (Bala Na’Allah) –  I was once a commissioner of police in your state… God will be with you,” he said.

“But tell your other members, go and reduce your salary, it’s too much.”

On his part, Tijjani Kaura, chairman of the senate committee on police, said police would perform their responsibilities better if they had good welfare packages.

“It is thus clear that if the police are to effectively discharge its duties and responsibilities to meet with international best practices as it is obtained in other parts of the world, then the police must be provided with sufficient welfare package, training and re-training, machineries to effectively discharge the constitutional responsibilities,” Kaura said.

“In consideration of the foregoing, the current initiative of repealing and enacting the police act is commencing to ensure the placement of an enabling law by the national assembly to make an enduring and sustainable legislative support for the Nigeria Police Force.”