Former Inspector- General of Police, Alhaji Muhammadu Gambo Jimeta, has condemned the recent agitation for the establishment of a state police, taking a swipe at its proponents, especially his former boss and ex-military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida.
He also accused the military of laying the foundation for the destruction of the police, adding that policemen fared better in the First Republic.
“The military destroyed the police,” the ex-IG said. Jimeta, also a former National Security Adviser, NSA, had served as IG under the Babangida regime.
He said that some people seemed to have been bought over by the proponents of state police, describing such agitation as a dishonest ploy to steal more public funds.
“We are doomed if anybody can be lobbied to truncate the truth. This is part of the national dishonesty we are talking about. It is a ploy to steal more money,” he added.
Jimeta, who spoke to journalists at his Abuja residence as part of the Eidel- fitr celebration, also challenged Nigerians to unite and fight those he described as the mafioso.
Although, he did not mention names, Jimeta noted that “it is criminal the way and manner we handle the security of this country.”
He added that the mafia had held the country hostage for so long, urging Nigerians to rise in defence of their future. “Let us unite to fight the mafia in this country because they have destroyed all the systems,” he said.
Recalling that he had on different occasions disagreed with Babangida, even while serving under him, the former police boss said since Nigeria “presents a very peculiar scenario in terms of the diversity of its population, it would be suicidal to kowtow to the minority’s demand for a state police.
“The former Head of State was my boss and I served under him.
I have also read his views on the issue of state police as reported in the newspapers. With due respect, there is a wide margin of disagreement between those of us operating in the force and people like my former boss. While I was in office, we had differences,” he added.
He stressed that if adequately funded, the police could handle the functions for which some new agencies or commissions had now been saddled with.
