An Igbo Man Should Be Made Next Lagos CP –Crime Journalist

A seasoned Crime Journalist and public issues commentator has advocated for the next Commissioner of Police for Lagos to be an Igbo man.

The journalist, Folorunsho Atta, with over 15 cognate experience in the media, essentially on the crime beat, said there were sound reasons why this should be so.

His submission becomes necessary in the light of the fact that the office became vacant Thursday following the elevation the commissioner, Mr Idowu Owohuwa and others the  Police Service Commission, PSC, under the able leadership of ex IGP, Dr Solomon Arase.

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According to Attah, putting an officer of Igbo extraction there is not only exigent, but also the right thing to do.

He said the first thing is that it would help to redress the long years of injustice meted out to the region over the years, by not considering the region in the appointment of CPs in the metropolitan state.

He argued that not only are there several well qualified personnel from there, but that there had been appointments of individuals from other regions to the exalted position.

“It’s very unfortunate that since the Nigerian Civil war ended on January 15th 1970 (53years ago) no Ibo officer has ever been posted to Lagos State Police command as CP, even when Gen Yakubu Gowon said, ” no Victor, no Vanquished”.

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“This obvious sidelining makes you want to ask, is the policy of “no victor, no vanquished really true?”.

According to him, all the geo-political zones in the country have tested the office with the exception of the Southeast.

“I’m asking if the police officers from the region are not competent enough.

“Is an Igbo man not cerebral enough or do they not understand the operational requirments enough to be appointed to the office?

“If Edo state has had four of his indigenes as CPs Lagos in the past after the end of the war (Mr Joseph Adeola, S.A.P.A Aghedo, Young Arebamen and Edgal Imohimi) why is the Southeast not being considered for the position?”

Attah who reeled out the names of the previous officers who had occupied the position, said there could not be a better time to make the necessary shift than now.

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According to him, the Southwest has had the following indigenes as the CPs: Yomi Odubela, Ade Ajakaiye, Emmanuel Adebayo, Israel  Ajao, Cornelius Aderanti, Syvester Abiodun Alabi, Fatai Owoseni  and Hakeem Odumosu.

In Northcentral “we had Isau Adejoh Ahmed Seidu, Umaru Manko, Yakubu Alkali & Idowu Owohuwa.

“Down Northwest, Sanni Ahmed Daura, MD Abubakar and  Audu Abubakar.

From Northeast, Jimeta Mohammed Gambo , Mr James Danbaba and Ibrahim Zubair.

Those from South South include Sir Mike Mbama Okiro, Joseph Adeola, Ekpo Ekpoudoun, Young Arebamen, Marvel Akpoyibo and Edgal Imohim.

“I think if we are really One Nigeria, we must stop doing things that suggest otherwise.

“So for a One True Nigeria, an igbo officer as CP Lagos is now”

“The igbos contribute to the massive economic development of this state. It’s from the igbos that I learnt the virtue of “dignity in labour” Atta stressed, saying such contributions should be duly acknowledged.