An Islamic human rights organisation, Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, has warned against the removal of the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, despite having reached the mandatory 35 years of active service.
Idris was formerly appointed on 21st March 2016.
The Professor Ishaq Akintola-led organisation said it would be wrong for the IGP to be removed when the general election would be conducted in a few weeks time.
Said MURIC in a statement issued on Thursday: “Election period is a very sensitive period. Anything can happen and we all know the kind of security challenges our country is facing.
“There is no doubt that IG Idris Kpotun must have perfected his strategy for maintaining law and order during the coming general election. Some instructions must have been given to the state commands. Certain arrangements must also have been made to put all police formations in a state of readiness.
“A new IGP around this time will naturally make one or two changes because styles differ. This may not really augur well because the police force needs stability and continuity in an electioneering period. We know that administration is a continuum but you don’t change the goal post in the middle of the game.
“Seasoned administrators know that unless there is a force majeure, it will be unwise to change the officer who planned a project at the point of implementation. No university will change the head of a programme on the eve of an accreditation exercise.
“We are perturbed by the rancorous voices of dissent over this matter.”
MURIC argued that Idris would not be the first whose tenure was extended, saying former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, extended Sunday Ehindero’s tenure by twelve months while Musa Yar’Adua also extended Mike Okiro’s tenure.
“So, what is so new this time around?” the group asked.
MURIC blamed politicians for not thinking Nigeria.
“Equally disturbing is the fact that it is mainly members of the opposition with their cronies, lackeys, court jesters and boot-lickers who are making the loudest calls. This does not look good enough. Are some people afraid of their own shadows? Is it the fear of past deeds?
“We remember that ex-President Goodluck Jonathan used the police to harass state governors. Is someone afraid of reprisals? We appear to be thinking of grabbing power at all cost. We are not thinking of Nigeria.
“This is exactly what is missing in our politicians today. There is acute desertification of statesmanship whereas the same politicians who are rooting for the victory for their political parties today will be the first to defect to another party whenever their personal and narrow interests are threatened. We lack loyalty, moral principle and a clearly identified political ideology. What we can see now is that politicians are only thinking of 2019 election whereas what we need are statesmen who will be thinking of Nigeria after the elections,” MURIC said.
