Sources told SaharaReporters that there is discontent in some quarters in the Nigeria Police Force amid accusations that its chief – a Yoruba man and southwesterner – has been biased towards Yoruba in appointments and posting of officers.
The Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, has been accused of exhibiting nepotism and ethnic bias in appointments and postings.
Sources told SaharaReporters that there is discontent in some quarters in the Nigeria Police Force amid accusations that its chief – a Yoruba man and southwesterner – has been biased towards Yoruba in appointments and posting of officers.
The police chief was accused of appointing only Yoruba officers as operational commanders like state commissioners and deputy commissioners of police in charge of operations and having his tribespeople in key positions like Force Secretary, PSO to the IGP, Director of Education, Director of Insurance, Director of Peacekeeping, amongst others.
According to sources, the IGP’s alleged nepotism and ethnic bias in the posting and appointment of officers from his ethnic region has created discontent within the force, especially within the officers' cadre.
The sources said officers from the South-East and South-South regions are mostly affected by the alleged lopsided postings.
The IGP has also been accused of ignoring advice from the former Inspector General of Police and Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Solomon Arase, and carrying himself as “President’s boy.”
One of the sources said, “The poor state of insecurity in the country is a result of diverse situations in the country. One of them is the growing discontentment in the Nigeria Police Force, especially within the officers’ cadre.
“This is due to the high level of nepotism and ethnic bias being exhibited by the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, in the area of posting operational commanders such as state commissioners and deputy commissioners in charge of operations.
“Take for instance, states termed as grade on states in the NPF are all headed and manned by his Yoruba brothers.
“These states are Lagos State where the Commissioner and the DCP Operations are Yoruba; Ogun State where the Commissioner and the DCP Operations are Yoruba; Rivers State where the Commissioner and the DCP Operations are Yoruba; Delta State where the Commissioner and the DCP Operations are Yoruba; Akwa Ibom State where the Commissioner is Yoruba; Edo State where the Commissioner and the DCP Operations are both Yoruba; Oyo State where the Commissioner and the DCP Operations are Yoruba; Anambra State where the Commissioner is Yoruba; Ondo State where the Commissioner of Police is Yoruba and Ekiti State where the Commissioner of Police and the DC Operations are Yoruba.”
According to sources, the lopsided appointment of commissioners is in addition to key positions in the Force Headquarters also occupied by Yoruba people.
“Such positions are Force Secretary; PSO to IGP; Director of Education; Director of Insurance; Director of Peacekeeping; Force PRO and a myriad of other supposed ‘lucrative’ positions in the NPF.
“The worst hit in all these are officers from the South-East and South-South of the country who had suffered from bad postings during the tenures of IGPs Ibrahim Idris, Mohammed Adamu and Usman Alkali Baba, who felt that they had a stake in the new scheme of things when IGP Egbetokun took over the realm of leadership in the NPF,” one of the sources said.
“They felt that since Egbetokun was a Southerner, he would protect their interests and carry them along. But IGP Egbetokun has since cleared their doubts by showing them that the cookie pie which he prepares is only for his Yoruba brothers.
“IGP Kayode Egbetokun has also failed to abide by or listen to any advice from Solomon Arase, the former IGP and Chairman of the Police Service Commission.
“He has no regard for the Chairman and has turned him into a lame duck in the scheme of things as he portrays himself as the President's boy who cannot be told what to do.
“The discontentment among the officers is growing fast and deep. It needs Mr. President to step in and caution IGP Kayode Egbetokun before the discontentment boils over and reaches its peak.
“It is said that a stitch in time saves nine.”
When contacted for reaction, the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, did not answer calls nor reply to a message sent to him.