Retired IGPs, CPs attend retreat in Ibadan to brainstorm on better policing in Nigeria.

Retired IGPs, CPs attend retreat in Ibadan to brainstorm on better policing in Nigeria. 

Retired Inspectors General of Police ( IGP) as well as retired commissioners of police led by the Police Service Commission 's chairman ex IGP Dr. Solomon Arase today in Ibadan attended a retreat for better policing and the role of ex police chiefs in addressing security challenges in Nigeria. 

The retreat taking place at the Institute of Tropical Agriculture IITA Ibadan had the Chairman of the Committee of Retired Inspectors General of Police, Alhaji Aliyu Atta, Ogbonnaya Onovo, Hafix Ringim, Dr. Solomon Arase, the Chairman Police Service Commission and Ibrahim Kpotun Idris , Dr. Mike Okiro, Sunday Ehindero, and the acting Inspector General of Police, Dr. Olukayode Egbetokun present at the opening ceremony of the event. Other police chiefs present at the retreat include former Lagos state commissioner of police and special adviser on security to the Oyo state government retired CP Owoseni Fatia among others. 

Present to deliver lectures at the retreat with the theme; 'Intervention Of Ex-Inspectors General of Police For Strategic Contribution To Effective Policing In Nigeria" are lecturers from the Institute For  Peace, Security  and Humanitarian  Studies  University of Ibadan led by the Head of the Institute ,Associate Professor Ruth Ochanya  Adio Moses and the Director of Multidisciplinary Studies ,  Prof Olawale Albert. 

Topical papers presented at the retreat include: Current State of Police Preparedness; Issues, Challenges and Prospects and Strategic actions and steps towards restoring NPF's primacy in internal security architecture of Nigeria among others

It was gathered that there will also be a discussion and experience-sharing session on the imperativeness of employing the experiential knowledge of the retired IGPs in the effective management of internal security in Nigeria.

Alhaji Aliyu Attah GCON, retired Inspector General of Police and Chairman of the Committee had said the retreat would afford the ex-IGPs the opportunity to examine and proffer solutions using their varied experiences while in service. He said “Once a policeman always a policeman. We want to wake the curiosity about the service itself among the populace, we want to wake it up again because it appears the profession of the police has been bulkanized and taken over by other organizations like the army, SSS, NSCDC, NDLEA, Road safety and what have you, so we want to reawaken Nigerians for the need for effective and efficient police force that can deliver. We the retired IGPs we are here to meet with the incumbent IGP tell him the pitfalls, where we faltered and where we gained grounds so we can have a better police force. Nigeria Police Force has been underfunded, under-equipped understaffed, under everything. So that when we want us to perform you give us what we need to perform with. Why do our police officers go out on peace keeping mission in other countries and they are doffed the best and when they come back people look at them with disdain. We must have to evolve culture of lawfulness, most Nigerians are law breakers, culture of lawfulness that is what we need so that we can live in a peaceful country.”

Speaking at the retreat, retired IGP Ogbonaya Onovo said “This conference is first of its kind and plan to be having it once in every three months, in other to know what is going on in the Force and suggest to the government and the police itself so that we can have advanced police that the country deserves. With this kind of conference with the serving IGP, he will be able to know what the public wants of the police and how to go by it.Ours is to recommend and watch its implementation.

  Sunday Ehinderor another ex-IGP said " Today we interacted with the IGP so that he may learn from us how we policed the country during our time.We shared our experience and our expectations from him and the expectation from members of the public and we all agreed that the time has come that the retired IGPs will not be docile, its time to contribute to the good governance of the country. There are many challenges the police is facing, don’t forget that crime is dynamic. In Our days what we faced was armed robbery but today, we have banditry, cyber crime, kidnapping for ransom, terrorism and sit at home in some places; crime will always occur but it is the ability of the police to thrive in the midst of chaos, that is the hallmark of policing. And we are sure the present IGP is well equipped for these challenges.