OPINION/VIEWPOINT

Governors’ Quest To Sack Ringim

 By Odimegwu Onwumere

author

The Boko Haram's incessant cases of murder of innocent citizens should not affect Nigerians psych negatively to begin to act and attack each other like the reckless sect. The Governors Forum should watch the weight of its call for the sack of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Hafiz Ringim. 

This is a time to encourage all to fight this abysmal threat of insecurity that has bedeviled our country than causing more panic with sack of certain persons because of security lapses. Ringim’s reportedly “conflicting statements, and grandstanding” unbecoming of a police chief, should be addressed with him by those calling for his sack. Calling for his sack without prior dialogue is Boro Haramic shenanigan mentality. Giving reasons that because the Police headquarters was bombed, then Ringim lacked the capability to protect the country, is not too much excuse to call for his sack. 

Like it was gathered that President Goodluck Jonathan told the governors, there is nothing so myopic in joining the voice of the president in saying that the governors were being hasty. Ringim must be given some time to understand the new system of bombing introduced into the Nigerian system by agents of Demon, and probably, he would consolidate security. How long did he become IGP?

The president is the chief security officer of Nigeria. He has not even addressed the nation. And here were certain persons calling for Ringim’s sack. Those misleading the governors should lead them proper, likewise those special advisers to the IGP should advise him proper. It is time everybody talked with his or her head than with the mouth. Let the state governors start beefing up security in their states first. Ringim is just one man. The security of this country should be everybody’s concern. Not centralized!

Like many Nigerians were confused by the bombing of the police headquarters, so also Ringim could be confused. He is human. Or is he not? Nobody would ever be super-human. We are learning our lessons every day. We have to always keep ourselves informed. Nobody is above giving information. Especially, on the state of insecurity in the country. President Goodluck Jonathan should learn how not to have muddy leg on public information. Jonathan seemed to lack how to manage information as they brew up one-by-one.

The source of these bombings or the sponsors should be immediately looked into. It is not only the duty of the police. The president, governors, army, navy, house of assembly members and Nigerians in their entirety must bury their heads to beef-up security now. Responsibility in this aspect should be the concern for all. Though, the country must seek coverage in the trained competent hands. Nigerians need results. Excuses must be sent on errand.

If Ringim was seen by the governors as a failure, they should also know that he is a reflection of leadership failure in the country. Governors were even the worst failed leaders. If the centre is porous today, it is because the states have failed to act transparently, or vis-à-vis. No person should wonder what Ringim is still doing on the job. We should understand that there are apolitical things that go on in this country than we think are political, or vis-à-vis. And until such is addressed, not even anybody that replaces Ringim, should he go, can act finely. It is still the undercurrents that play in this country that on the 8^th of September 2010, Jonathan announced the sack of all service chiefs alongside the IGP and Director of SSS, and immediately replaced them with new ones. Ringim is a beneficiary of that sack. Today, the new ones are still receiving blames because the undercurrents have not abated.

Jonathan’s decision to change some of the service chiefs and IGP as has been stated was most welcomed by Nigerians in 2010. Their predecessors, Nigerians said that they clearly demonstrated that they were not fit for the offices. And here the same Nigerians were calling for the sack of Ringim who was barely close to a year in office. What treasonable offence has he committed as we ones said that the Chief Of Army Staff (COAS) that Ihejirika replaced allegedly caused treasonable acts against the Nigerian constitution. The immediate former IGP was nailed by Nigerians for alleged clear incompetence and ineptitude. “However, the choice of Mr. Hafiz Ringim, a junior Officer in the hierarchy, as Acting IGP introduces a very grave and dangerous precedent into an already sick organization like the Police Force,” Nigerians had warned.

The choice of Mr. Hafiz Ringim is the example of the undercurrents that play in the Nigerian system. The police had  nine people senior to him: (DIGs Uba Ringim, Israel Ajao, Uzoma Declan, Haruna Ahmadu, Olusegun Efuntayo and Udo Ekpoudom plus AIGs Mrs Ivy Okoronkwo, Azubike Udah and Dawodu) but the Federal Government made a choice of Mr. Hafiz Ringim. Are we not fighting corruption?

This was the manner many Nigerians were against Mr. Onovo as IGP, for the failures of the Nigerian Police Force under his leadership to deal effectively with any of the internal security challenges we had. Kidnapping and armed robbery, sectarian and religious killings, political murders, wanton abuse and extortion of commuters by police personnel on major highways have not still abated till date.

The problem is not with Ringim, but with the Nigerian system. If a critical and proper analysis of the police under Ringim is taken, we would be shocked to the marrow that Ringim could not be directly held responsible for the woes of the country. Like Ringim is Emperor over the Police Force, what is Jonathan who is the Emperor General of the Nigerian Forces doing? All the foregoing – Boko Haram’s bombings and the call for the sack of Ringim – are not necessary. This call for Ringim to resign has exposed the critical lack of thinking prowess in the Governors Forum. While the Presidency displayed heresy in appointing a junior officer Hafiz Ringim as the new Acting IGP, the Governors’ Forum has displayed a crass idea thereby signing its ineptitude and lack of focus before the glaring eyes of the unsuspecting Nigerians.