Ex-IGP joins Jigawa senatorial race

A former Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba, on Monday picked the expression of interest and nomination forms to run for Jigawa Central senatorial district seat on the platform of the All Peoples Congress (APC).

Abba, who spoke at the APC national secretariat in Abuja, said he joined the race to provide quality representation and contribute to national development.

When asked for his comment on the call for state police, the former IGP said the country was not ripe for state police as those currently campaigning for it might not be sincere.

He said, “I have a feeling and I don’t hide it that some people are looking for an opportunity to compound the security challenges of this country. I have nothing against state police like I said, having recommended it far back even when it was not a serious issue in this country. It looks like some people are looking for what they can use to compound the security situation in this country. Maybe we can continue to fine tune it, but I am not sure this is the right time.

“While I was at NIPSS in 2009, I was assigned to conduct research on discipline in the Nigerian police, during the period, and looking at the performance of the police based on the research, I realize that there was the need to take another look at the structure of the police. In that research which is there for anybody to refer to, I recommended local government police. So, you can see that I have nothing against state police. I have had the opportunity of serving in all geopolitical zones of the country and have a fair knowledge of the country.

“From what we see state government passing through with the payment of salaries and pensions as well as taking care of qualitative education for our children. Considering the fact that policing is a very expensive business; you need to finance the cost of a helmet for the police, talkless of the protective jacket. These are very expensive gadgets. Gadget for monitoring are very expensive and if the states cannot pay salaries and take care of other socio-economic aspect of the people, why are they looking forwarding to shouldering this responsibility.”