Mr. Matthew Ibadin has praised the ingenuity of Dr. Kayode Egbetokun, the Industrial Security Practitioner and Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Badinson Security Limited, as Nigerians congratulate him on his confirmation as substantive Inspector General of Police (IGP) by the Police Council a few days ago. Mr. Ibadin has also reminded the IGP of the tasks that need his immediate attention.
In addition to congratulating the IGP on his confirmation, Ibadin noted the “robustness” of the most recent three-day police conference and retreat that took place in Owerri, the capital of Imo State.
Chiefs of Strategic Units in the Nigeria Police Force, Commissioners of Police, Assistant Inspectors General of Police, and Deputy Inspectors General of Police were present at the conference.
In a press conference held in Lagos on Friday, the Badison Security Chieftain referred to the Owerri event as one of the most exceptional conferences and retreats ever arranged for senior law enforcement professionals.
Ibadin, who was present at the ceremony, expressed optimism that Egbetokun’s creative approach to devising solutions for some of the police’s most pressing problems has given rise to improved policing in Nigeria.
Speaking about a wide range of topics, Ibadin, who has received training in many facets of private security over the years, has pushed the IGP to develop a system that redefines the roles of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) and the Spy Police so that those involved can play a higher and more productive role in intelligence gathering and crime fighting. To support his argument, the Badison chief pointed out that it would be perfect to assign the Spy Police and PCRC members to more prominent roles, given that the main focus of the Owerri conference and retreat was developing new techniques to combat crime in the nation.
Since the Spy Police were successfully trained by the same organization, he says, the Nigeria Police Force should learn to use their services, especially in investigation and other related activities, rather than letting them sit around doing nothing useful. In a similar vein, he contended that since the majority of PCRC members offered their time to support law enforcement, the IGP ought to reevaluate the organization’s function and ensure that it includes more than just attending meetings and fighting crime and gathering intelligence.
The private investigator has encouraged Egbetokun to examine certain police services with a view to commercializing them in order to strengthen the Police Force’s financial standing beyond the statutory allocation that comes to it from the Federation account. He used the Police Printing Press as an example of a service that might be modernized and outfitted with printing equipment to provide the general public with commercial printing. Additionally, he suggested that rather than abusing Mopol employees, those in need of the personal protection services of Mobile Policemen should contribute correspondingly to the police budget.
Mr. Ibadin, an advocate for increased police funding, restated his previous views, which were that corporations and multinationals doing business in Nigeria ought to set aside a portion of their budget for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), which includes funding police operations. He also urged the public to always show love and support for police officers, especially those who put in difficult work on the roads.
He also suggested that IGP Egbetokun broaden the scope of his administration by holding regular stakeholders’ conferences, which would allow civil society representatives to interact with the IGP and provide pertinent security information to aid in the battle against crime.
Ibadin stated that since the number of people in Nigeria who have received training in private investigation is rising, it would be ideal for the IGP to develop a system for using these private investigators in investigation activities. The Police Act, 2020 should be the primary source of licensing for these private investigators.
Although Ibadin praised the officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force for their exceptional dedication in the face of extreme adversity, he maintained that a nation can function without the military, but not without law enforcement.
Because of this, he pushed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to establish a special intervention fund for the Nigeria Police, stating that police personnel’s wellbeing has to come first. He pondered why it was no longer possible for police officers to be provided with operable automobiles for the purpose of investigation, as he remembered doing in the past.
The security chieftain urged the government to give the police tracking devices, bulletproof jackets, and 24-hour lighting at police stations across the nation, citing the Nigerian police as among the best in the world “because they perform creditably without the necessary tools needed for effective policing.” “People should be able to email Zone, State Command, Area Command, and Division Headquarters with their complaints,” he added, adding that there should also be laptops available.
He went on to say that since crime is a local issue, investigations should be conducted domestically. He also advocated for more financing for the Nigeria Police, something that past administrations had not done.
Regarding promotion within the Police Force, Ibadin recommended that the IGP eliminate the special promotion syndrome inside the police force and include this change into the Police Act.
