Insurgency, banditry thrive because internal security compromised – former A/Ibom CP

A former Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State,  Gabriel Achong has raised the alarm that bandits and other armed insurgents in parts of the country are having leeways because the internal security arrangements have been compromised and hijacked.

In an interview with DAILY TRUST in Calabar at the Nigeria Police Force Zone Six Headquarters where 47 new Assistant Superintendents of Police were inducted into the Officers’ Mess, Achong alleged that a powerful bloc of people are making vast sums of money from the insecurity in the country.

He further alleged that some persons and other sister organizations are angling to take over the responsibilities of the Nigeria police which has caused several security issues to be aggravated.

According to him, the Nigeria Police Force has been sidelined and is also poorly funded despite its strengths and expectations.

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Achong said, “The Nigeria Police is not well funded. Other agencies are angling to take over the functions of the police. We have many security issues in Nigeria because they do not allow the police to act on their responsibilities. Internal security has been compromised.

“Let them leave the internal security to the police as it ought to be then you will see that the armed insurgency like Boko Haram, banditry, and herdsmen attacks will stop. People are making money out of these criminalities just because the police are sidelined.”

Achong also expressed sadness over the deterioration of discipline and poor official dressing habits by policemen in recent times.

The police boss said, “Many policemen dress poorly in official uniforms. Some wear slippers and ragtag  uniforms at official hours.”

He told the newly inducted ASPs that they have more loads on their heads because they are directly in the command of the junior personnel.

“In those days, Calabar had 10 police divisions and it was an ASP that was in charge. So you must be disciplined to lead the rank and file. You must not encourage favouritism. You mustn’t destroy the job and the system.”