THE GIANT STRIDES OF MIKE OKIRO AS INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE BETWEEN JUNE 2007 TO JULY 2009

There is light at the end of the tunnel. The Nigeria Police could be likened to the military era during which the dictators were seen as major adversaries that Nigerians needed to part with at all costs. Enthronement of democracy has filled the gap, the government and the governed are now heading towards the same direction. The officers and men of the Nigeria Police were perceived as major perpetrators of crimes, bunch of untrained, undisciplined and corrupt officers. The situation was worse that Nigerians preferred to take laws into their hands to reporting cases of armed robbery, crimes and other injustices to the Nigeria police because of their apparent inability to genuinely carry out their primary duties which are to protect lives and properties of citizens. When the people trained to protect lives of the citizenry suddenly became agents of killing, assassination, armed robbery, electoral fraud and other evil devices, it was dawned on Nigerians that there was a vacuum in the sector, that needed to be filled with a man of honour, integrity and spirit filled officer who would take the Nigeria Police to the promised land and also setting a pace of world acceptable standards not only to enable past leaders of the force learn from their mistakes but also to lay a very solid and strong foundation for the successors to build upon. That was what Sir Mike Mbama Okiro has come to represent in the Nigeria Police. He has come, fought and conquered. He has come to right the wrongs, he has come to redeem the battered image of the police, he has come to make positive impact that would eventually make police friends to the people and in all, he has come to re-write the history of the Nigeria Police.

Sir Mike Mbama Okiro, a native of Egbema in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State was born in Oguta, Imo State on the 24th of July, 1949, but his determination and zeal to make it to the top amidst any foreseen and unforeseen circumstances has made his date of birth a memorable one. One of the decisions was to pursue his educational career vigorously and as well enroll as a police officer. Not many people in the family liked the idea, but he never looked back on the decision, the decision that has made the family name “Okiro” very popular and more importantly antonymous to crime and indiscipline nationwide.

He had his university education in University of Ibadan where he studied English Language and passed out with BA (Hons) English after which he proceeded to University of Lagos for his Master’s degree in Public Administration where he also passed out with Master of Public Administration, MPA. As that was not enough, he decided to pursue another degree in Law from the University of Jos where he actually finished as a professional lawyer after having attended law school where he obtained his LLB and LLM in Law. He has also studied in the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Plateau State.

Sir Mike Mbama Okiro, having finished his university education, served the country as a member of National Youth Service Corps in Maiduguri between 1976 and 1977 after which he was enlisted in the Nigeria Police where he was able to rise and occupied the highest office of Inspector General of Police, Federal Republic of Nigeria before his glorious retirement.

He started his career as Divisional Crime Officer, DCO at Central Police Station, Port Harcourt, Rivers State before he was transferred to Obigbo in the same state as Divisional Police Officer. As DPO, the little Mike Okiro was in charge of the station, the role he efficiently carried out to the envy of others. He was again transferred to Aguata in Anambra State as Divisional Crime Officer after which he was sent to Uwani in Enugu State as Divisional Police Officer. Sir Mike Okiro served as Chief Superintendent of Police (Admin.) at the Police Headquarters in Enugu and at Police College, Ikeja, Lagos respectively after which he was transferred to Bode Thomas Police Station, Surulere, Lagos as Divisional Police Officer. Before he climbed to the highest office in the Nigeria Police, Mike Okiro served in many more capacities which include Member, Armed Robbery and Firearms Tribunal, Lagos, Area Commander, Area ‘C’ Surulere, Lagos and Assistant Commissioner of Police, Operations, Lagos State. Being a thorough, efficient and disciplined officer, just as he was being transferred from one place to the other, he was also being promoted. Among other places where he worked and offices occupied include, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations, Lagos State, Second in-command (2i/c) Ogun State Police Command, Deputy Commandant, Police Staff College, Jos, Commissioner of Police, Benue State Police Command, Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Police Command. Despite, his promotions which were being implemented at the appropriate times, he remained committed, dedicated and focused. Nobody was taken aback when he was promoted to the rank of Deputy Inspector General of Police to serve in the B department (Operations) at the Force Headquarters, Abuja after which he served at same capacity of Deputy Inspector General of Police in C department at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.

It is known; very few officers of the Nigeria Police always get to that enviable rank of Deputy Inspector General of Police as most of them must have left the force having reached retirement age and for so many other reasons. In the case of Sir Mike Okiro, he was still very active, diligent, forward looking, determined and more importantly, age was still on his side. He was among the very few officers that were interviewed to occupy the highest rank of the Nigeria Police. Inasmuch as so many officers and men of the Nigeria Police and Nigerians who have had encounter with him wanted him as Inspector General of Police, he remained humble and determined to serve as efficient as possible in which ever office and rank he occupied. It was a prayer answered, for men and officers of the Nigeria Police when Sir Mike Mbama Okiro was appointed Inspector General of Police of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in June 2007 under the administration of President Musa Yar’adua. As if it was a political appointment, every Nigerian heaved a sigh of relief more importantly those who have had a taste of his magic hands in combating crimes and corruption every where he had served.

It is no gainsaying; Okiro’s roles in the Nigeria Police have raised the standards of the Police. It is obvious; men and officers of the Nigerian Police have become more professional in conduct and friendlier to the people contrary to what was experienced by the Nigerian people in the past. His laudable and landmark achievements in the Nigeria Police have not only outgrown the ones made by his predecessors but have also set an acceptable world standards and pace for subsequent successors to follow.

Sir Mike Okiro was able to maintain his good image and unblemished record throughout his service years in the force because of his dedication to duty, effectiveness, activeness and more importantly, his determination to rebrand the Nigeria Police force to the envy of Nigerians and international community while his tenure lasted.

Despite his busy schedule, Mr. Mike Okiro still found time to read and wrote professional examinations which in turn earned him membership and fellow of the following professional bodies: Nigerian Institute of Management, member, Nigerian Institute of Personnel Management, Chartered Institute of Administrators, Institute of Corporate Administrators, International Association of Chiefs of Police, Honourary fellow of the Nigerian Psychological Association among others.

Some of the honours and awards bestowed on the man of the people, Sir Mike Okiro include Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic, Knight of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Nigeria Police Medal, Atunluse of Lagos, Agunechemba of Egbema, Ochendo Ndi Igbo of Lagos, Ochiagha of Akpulu, Orlu, Seriki Babatolu of Gbagura, Abeokuta, Bamofin of Ipaja, Lagos, Baba Agbakin of Oniru, Lagos, amidst others.

Mike Okiro wrote and published some books among which are Peace and the Nation, Surviving the Cities, The Legal Implications of the Mismanagement of Public Funds in Nigeria. His hobbies include writing and playing Chess.

SIR (DR) MIKE MBAMA OKIRO’S REFORMS IN THE NIGERIA POLICE FROM JUNE 2007 TO JULY 2009.

The appointment of Sir Mike Okiro as Inspector General of Police, Federal Republic of Nigeria by President Musa Yar’adua did not come as a surprise to those who were familiar with the seven point agenda of the President. His appointment to hold the mantle of leadership of the force was tantamount to putting a round peg in a round hole. The Nigeria Police as a sector whose the country’s image is portrayed by its conduct needed someone with great ideas and more importantly who could redeem the battered image of the force. It was obvious, the choice of Okiro was the right one not only for the President and men and officers of the police, but for the entire Nigerians. His hard earned achievements have eventually raised the level of the force to a world acceptable standard. He did not just win the trust and confidence of men and officers of the Nigeria Police but those of corporate bodies, non governmental organizations and the entire Nigerians.

One of the steps taken by the Inspector General of Police to force the Nigeria Police into the comity of world acceptable forces was the establishment of human rights bureau of force which was to respond to issues and complaints against human rights abuses not only in the force, but in the country as a whole. It is the duty of the bureau to visit all stations, police cells and operational base or formations to vet the activities of police personnel to ascertain if it is in line with acceptable human rights practice. Officers found wanting are often arrested and disciplined.

Among his laudable achievements in the Nigeria Police was appointment and training of Human Rights Officers. This has lead to creation of additional duty post of human rights officers who were usually senior officers and being trained both locally and internationally to enable them impact knowledge acquired in the other men and officers of the force. Some of these trained officers now lecture in the police colleges while some were posted as human rights officers in some divisions in their commands. The duties of human rights officers among others were to manage the established human rights bureaus and superintend the control and moderation of interrogation techniques employed by Investigating Police Officers and other relationship between the police and the citizenry. Human rights officers also undertake regular visit to cells to ensure that proper sanitary habit is maintained for the safety of cell inmates. In other words, the officers were to ensure that no police activity leads to human rights abuses.

For the purpose of receiving and investigating public complaint based on police actions and inactions towards the members of the public, public complaints bureau was established. As the closest unit of force to the public, and to ensure that the Nigeria public had easy access to the police, the establishment of public complaints bureau was very paramount in the administration of Sir Mike Okiro.

Another issue that added more beautiful feathers to the wing of Mike Okiro during his tenure as Inspector General of Police was the creation of office and appointment of conflict and resolution officers with the aim of addressing some of the issues that often lead to commission of crimes and human rights violations within the force and the nation at large. The duty of these officers is to intervene and apply other alternative means of resolving matters that are not entirely criminal, but reported to the police, against members of the public or arising from police operations. The essence of this was to ensure that matters or grievances do not escalate leading to human rights abuses by the police or members of the public.

In order to swoop on police personnel and other civil servants engaged in corruption, human rights abuses and other related offences or crime, there was establishment of ‘X’ Squad and IGP Monitoring Unit. These were squads that operated as Inspector General of Police personal staff, as they reported directly to him. Mr Mike Okiro as IGP had always been found of parading before the press police officers accused and arrested for various offences by the squad and disciplinary procedures were being followed to dismiss the erring officers from the force and charged them to court to serve as a deterrent to others who might want o engage in similar acts or conduct.

Another bold step taken by Mike Okiro when he was Inspector General of Police which was applauded by the general public was the reactivation of the Police Community Relations Committee. The Police Community Relations Committee is a body established by the Federal Government as far back as 1984, with a view to bridging the gap between the police and its public. Pertinent complaints arising from the police operations and behavior of the public to the police are handled by this body. In his determination to correct the wrongs of his predecessors and set acceptable standards for his successors, Mike Okiro was able to revitalize and reactivate the committee at federal, zonal, state and divisional levels. Issues of human rights abuses by the police were being reported through this medium and members of the committee are expected to articulate it and take it up with the IGP, Zonal Assistant Inspectors-General of Police, Commissioners of Police or Divisional Police Officers as the case may be. This is helping restore the confidence of the general public in the Nigeria Police.

Another undeletable achievement made by Mike Okiro as Inspector-General of Police was establishment of Radio and TV Interactive Program run by Public Relations Department of the Nigeria Police in which members of the public were invited and expected to participate either physically or by calling in through telephone, for the purpose of taking advantage of the opportunity to lay bare their problems and difficulties they had with the police. This program has given Nigerians opportunity to complain against any abuse of their rights for immediate response and follow up solution.

Mike Okiro has become former Inspector General of Police but his laudable achievements which have eventually transformed the general operation of the force still speak volume. In his bid to evolve strategies to respond to complaints and security needs of the people personally, there was a dedicated IGP Complaints Telephone Hotline 08073396359 through which he was receiving complaints and taking immediate actions. This dedicated line was always aired to the public during radio and television programs. He had continuously embarked on visits to zonal and state commands and in each case, had interactive sessions with the officers and men of such command, preaching against human rights abuses in the part of police officers. In order to ensure that those who did not have access to GSM still have the opportunity to make complaints or pass information on human rights violation against them by members of the police force, the former Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro introduced information boxes in three categories: information, complaints and suggestions. These boxes were placed at strategic locations in the cities and their contents checked and acted upon on daily basis to give succour to Nigerians whose rights were violated.

Having aware of the inhuman condition that existed in some cells across the country, Mike Okiro introduced and directed the release of funds directly to Divisional Police Officers since August 2007 for maintenance of police stations, and ensure improved sanitary conditions of cells in the interest of detainees. Improvement of condition of service in training institutions was another great concern of the administration during which there was improvement in the training institutions in three major ways such as promotion of officers posted to the institutions to their nest rants in acting capacity, increase of the remunerations by 25% and an increase on the course allowance payable to course attendants from 3,500 to 10,000.

It is on the record that, it was in the administration of the hard working man that road blocks were disbanded and replaced with observation posts and Anti Crime Patrol.

In his bid to solve accommodation problem associated with the force, Sir Mike Okiro remitted 3.8 Billion Naira to the Nation Housing Fund, making the force eligible to draw from the fund. Having understood that housing has been a herculean task in the force, the Okiro administration was able to introduce a new housing scheme policy which allows all the commissioners of police in the state commands liaise with their state governors to allocate lands for the Police Housing Scheme. This scheme was aimed at granting houses to members of the force on owner-occupier basis. Thus, making police men both serving and retiring, proud owners of houses. During his tenure as IGP, Sir Mike Okiro had foundation laying ceremony of the Housing Scheme at Kuduru, Abuja and also commissioned the scheme in Lagos, Osogbo, Ofada and Ibadan. He was able to purchase and commission 78 units of 2-bedrooms for senior Police officers under the same scheme.

During his history tenure as Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro was to ease transportation problem by introducing car and motor cycle loan for officers, Inspectors and rank. Another notable achievement by the former IGP was prompt monthly payment of the Nigeria Police Force Accident / Group Insurance Claims to bereaved families of dead police men, and police men that sustained injuries on the line of duty.

Aside the implementation of the Consolidated Police Salary Scheme, CONPOSS, there was refurbishment of the Special Fraud Unit, Lagos and naming it after IGP Sunday Adewusi (retd). There was establishment of and commissioning of an Information Technology Centre at State C.I.D. Panti and F.C.I.D. Alagbon Close, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Another noticeable achievement of the former IGP was appointment of Scene of Crime Officers who were responsible for preserving scene of robbery and other related crimes and ensuring recovery of exhibit and other evidence for prosecuting of cases.

Laudable and landmark achievements of Sir Mike Okiro as Inspector General of Police between June 2007 to July 2009 are not hidden, as these can be seen everywhere. He has been able to lay a very solid foundation for his successors and if followed to the latter will not only complement his effort to raise the standard of the force to a world acceptable standard, but will also get any particular Inspector General to a glorious and commendable retirement as witnessed by Mike Okiro.

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