Sallah shocker: IG approves mass transfer of 50, 000 police officers

By Kingsley Omonobi, Abuja
As thousands of Muslin faithful braced up for the Sallah celebration expected to begin this weekend, about 50, 000 Police officers made up of the rank and file and a sizeable number of SPOs yesterday got a shocker when they were posted en-masse as a result of the insecurity crises facing the nation.

As a result of the postings which saw many officers including Northerners, Southerners and Easterners swapping their areas of responsibility, some officers who spoke to Saturday Vanguard complained bitterly about the transfer saying ‘they were contemplating whether to embark on the transfer or to put in their letters of resignation as their families are kicking against it.

In particular, some Police officers presently serving in the Southern parts of the country including Northern officers from crises states like Borno, Yobe, Kaduna, Bauchi and Gombe, are said to be among those trying everything humanly possible including lobbying to ensure they did not go to the states to perform security duties.

Saturday Vanguard had reported last week that following the poor performance of some Police officers in the fight against terrorism and other security challenges facing the nation, the IG directed the Police Management team to carry out a re-organization of the force by ensuring that competent officers were deployed for security duties.

It was gathered that information regarding the mass postings started filtering to the state commands on Thursday and that as at Friday (yesterday) the names of between 5,000 to 6, 000 SPOs, Inspectors and other ranks were moved out from each state command and scattered to other commands.

Sources disclosed that officers from Edo and Delta states as well as those from Anambra state were posted to Kano, Plateau, Borno and Yobe while those transferred from the northern states were posted to states like Benue, Enugu and Abia states.

Consequently, and fearing for their lives as well as those of their families, some policemen who spoke to Saturday Vanguard on condition of anonymity have threatened to resign if the postings are not changed while others have resorted to spiritual help in order to be able to survive in those areas.

The number of senior officers affected in the transfer is said to be about 5,000 in total when compared to that of other ranks the source said adding that the action was taken in line with the IG’s determination to confront the security challenges in the country headlong, he has directed that nobody should be speared in the postings.

In giving the directive, the IG is said to have noted that the long stay of some policemen in a particular posting makes them connive and partake in activities that are threats to security of lives and property as they give assistance to criminals. Hence he warned that that no policeman should stay beyond two years in any command, as this helps to bread corruption.

The source added that more postings will be coming out in the next one or two weeks as the IGP as directed that the postings must be completed by the end of the second weeks of September.