Nigerians should rise up to this important occasion. There is an urgent need to conduct psychiatric tests on those aspiring to work for the government. Former Inspector General of police Mr. Arase, had proudly and wilfully stolen twenty four police vehicles kept under him as he retired. We can't afford to do nothing henceforth.
Taking a mental fitness examination will not do. Intending public officers should more so, be subjected to IQ tests. The by-now confessional statement made by the immediate past IG of police, has thrown lots of questions that are begging for answers! For example, how could such a compromised man rise to become Inspector General of police? Psychiatric and IQ tests could have made it impossible for Mr. Solomon Arase to become IG. There is a need for would-be government workers to undergo wellness checks from now on.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('content1'); });
But how did we get here in the first place? Mr Arase had written a letter to the present IG of police complaining that he is being maltreated by him. He also mentioned among other things, how he absconded with police vehicles to his private home after retirement. Before now, he denied the allegation as total falsehood.
But in a twist of invent, he confessed to have taken the vehicles away. According to him, he was not alone in looting police properties. The practice has been going on for ages. Two of his former predecessors had also carted away, police vehicles under them while retiring. With a stroke of foolishness, Mr. Arase had carefully narrated how he aided and abated his former predecessors in the looting spree.
This is how Mr. Arase puts it: " ... My two immediate predecessors left office with 13 and nine vehicles of different makes and models respectively, I never pressurised either of them to return any of such vehicles neither did I engage in any act that was capable of bringing them to ridicule as being done to me of late by a force I dedicated my life to serving up to the highest level..."
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('content2'); });
Could you believe that any IG would ever make such senseless and self-incriminating confessional statement? It sounds more like confession of an economic hit man. As they say:( there is honour amongst thieves). Probing his former bosses would bring disgrace to the police force, he told his successor Mr Idris. Arase had wanted Idris to treat him as a gentleman. Just as he had handled his rogue predecessors with utmost kindness.But the present police boss was not ready to play ball - at least, not with his immediate predecessor.
Former president Jonathan Goodluck might be right that "stealing is not corruption" after all.However, it is difficult to see how probing and bringing corrupt police bosses to justice, would dent the character of police as an institution. And furthermore, how could a one-time police ace, not know that what his former bosses did was criminal? It takes a lot of dullness, complicity and somewhat madness not to know that stealing of public property is a crime.
Nevertheless, president Buhari should reduce Mr. Arase's rank from an IG to a constable of police. If that is doable. Thereafter, he should be prosecuted until he is sent to jail. The two of his former rogue bosses should also have their ranks commuted to constable and thence, jail. The three former Inspector General of police are huge disgrace to the humankind in the collective.
In addition, Mr. Arase's had done a breakdown of who stole what in his confessional statement. The former IG Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, who retired in 2014 looted thirteen police vehicles into retirement. Whist his successor Mr. Suleiman Abba, who was sacked in April last year by former president Goodluck Jonathan absconded with nine vehicles.
The erstwhile police boss knew about these grand thefts, but kept mute. In his world-view, to steal government property is a just reward. Those who loot the commonwealth should be celebrated and not disgraced. They should be given national awards not punished. That is how Solomon Arase's mind works. And as the saying goes: "bad mind, is active."
By and by, Mr. Arase's crimes are plentiful. He lied that he did not steal the vehicles in the first place. Then, he aided and abated his predecessor to steal government properties: he could have probed and send them to jail. That was his job description as a policeman. Police are not made to give cover to criminals however. And lastly, he stole twenty four vehicles without remorse or a prick of conscience. No clear-headed or sane person would do such a thing as steal 24 vehicles kept under his custody. Only people with somewhat ill behaviour that do such.
To call a spade a spade, the present police IG, Mr. Idris, should probe the two indicted former police bosses Mr. Mohammed Abubakar and Mr. Suleiman Abba. If he fails to probe them, people would say that he is selective and sectional. Abubarkar and Abba are from the North while Arase is from Christian South. More so, the present IG would be aiding and abetting his corrupt bosses just as Arase did. I he would not prosecute them. We hope that president Buhari and EFCC would live up to their anti-corruption responsibility. The trio should be stripped of their ranks and sent to jail as a matter of fact and urgency.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('comments'); });