As we get ready for the general elections in 2023, Usman Alkali-Baba, the inspector general of police, has urged Nigerians to refrain from trying to bribe security personnel, particularly the police.
Alkali-Baba made this statement during a Public Lecture and Integrity Award on Wednesday in Kano, which was sponsored by the Centre for Awareness and Accountability (CAJA) and The Penlight Center and had as its theme, “Promoting Integrity as a way of fighting corruption.”
The IGP, who was represented by Deputy Commissioner of Police Abubakar Zubairu, stated that ACP Daniel Amah, who received the CAJA Integrity Award for his refusal of a $200,000 bribe from criminals, exemplified the values that the Nigerian Police Force, under his command, stands for.
Alkali-Baba expressed gratitude to CAJA for its decision to recognize Officer Amah, saying“To many, we are corrupt, we don’t know what to do.
“Today, we are glad one of us is being recognized. It is an open secret that we have a lot of ACP Daniel Itse Amahs among us, it is just that they are not being recognized.
“Please, don’t try to corrupt security men; members of the public should refrain from trying to corrupt us.”
He, however, admitted that the Police like every other human organization, has a few bad eggs but “when we identify such persons we show them out.
“We don’t condone corruption. The Nigerian Police is one organisation that exposes officers and men found to be corrupt.
“They are not only exposed, they are dismissed and prosecuted.
“The IGP has zero tolerance for corruption. The government of the day is doing everything possible to provide what the police needs to function but we need public support.”
Speaking in a similar vein, the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abdulrasheed Bass, who was represented by the Deputy Zonal Commander of the EFCC, Kano, Sunday Adiba, enjoined Nigerian youths to take a cue from the life of the awardee.
He said, “This honour is not for Daniel alone, it is for the police and all security agencies. You cannot be a corrupt law enforcement officer and have a corrupt free soceity.
“We are encouraging all of us to take this exemplary courage as a way of life. The EFCC chairman was not made chairman by coincidence.
“Between January this year and today, the EFCC has secured 3,287 convictions. This is unprecedented in the history of law enforcement in Nigeria.
“These convictions include: convictions from land fraud, public sector fraud, cyber crime, bank fraud and fraud in other sectors of our soceity. “
He explained that this was made possible through the support of Nigerians from all walks of life.
Also, Ex- Minister of Youths and Sports, Barr. Solomon Dalung, who was a guest at the event said the event was proof that Nigerians irrespective of ethnicity, religion and political leanings, respect and cherish integrity. This, he said, should guide us as we go to the polls in 2023.
The awardee, ACP Daniel Amah, expressed gratitude to the IGP of Police, officers and men of the force for their support and encouragement which made it possible for him to be so recognized. He described the award as a call to higher service which he is committed to rendering.