Kidnapping: IG orders downsizing of Police headquarters, others for efficiency

To inject fresh ideas for administrative efficiency, policemen who have spent four years and above at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, Zonal or state commands are to be posted out on the approval of the acting Inspector General of Police (IG) Mohammed Adamu. 

Adamu has also directed a downsize of personnel strength in the aforementioned places for operational exigencies.

The IGP’s directive according to sources may not be unconnected with the desire to contain the practice whereby officers and order ranks perpetuate themselves at the various command headquarters to escape deployment to crisis zones.

It was gathered that the IG was also concerned by the spate of violent crimes across the country and the seeming inability of the police to take charge.

The IG according to close sources was unsatisfied with the level of manpower redundancy and was going all out to enhance the personnel base of state commands for improved crime control capacity.

A source who hinted on the development disclosed that it was contained in a signal signed by the Principal Staff Officer (PSO) to the IG Idowu Owohunwa, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP).

The source said: ” The IG has approved the downsizing of the personnel profile of the Force Headquarters, Zonal Headquarters and State Command Headquarters with immediate effect.
The downsizing will affect officers at the Force Headquarters Abuja and Lagos Annex. Some officers have served so many years at these places and they keep working their postings to stay there.

“The directive mandated all departments within the Force Headquarters Abuja and Zonal and State headquarters to start reducing their personnel strength by at least 30 percent. It is for both officers and rank and file. It gave one-week deadline for the list (comprehensive nominal roll of personnel by department) to reach the IG secretariat.

“That those who have stayed more than four years must be redeployed from the headquarters as well as those adjudged to be lacking in capacity to contribute meaningfully to the mandates of the departments.

“All those to be deployed from the Force Headquarters will be posted to state commands across the country to boost manpower.”