As Nigeria’s new Police chief Ringim takes charge, police overhaul, security for 2011 contentious election top his agenda

By Chido Nwangwu, Publisher of  USAfricaonline.com, USAfrica multimedia networks (Houston), Nigeria360 e-group and CLASSmagazine.

USAfrica, November 5: Nigeria’s National Council of State has ratified and confirmed on November 4, 2010 the nomination of Hafiz Abubakar Ringim as the substantive Inspector-General of Police (IGP). In a recent reshuffle of service chiefs of the Navy, Army and Airforce, Ringim was appointed in an acting capacity by President Goodluck Jonathan on September 7 and announced on the 8th, 2010.

Yesterday, on November 4, Ringim announced disbanding multiple crime squads in different states nationwide, arguing the squads have become inefficient. He promised a major overhaul of the Nigeria Police Force, especially the mobile units, for higher professional roles and readiness for the 2011 general elections. USAfrica notes that the Nigerian Police and the elections officers at INEC are equally critical to the securing of votes and the atmosphere for elections in Nigeria.

Ringim had served as the commander of the Interpol Section of the Nigerian Police as Commissioner of Police. Until his appointment, Ringim was the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in-charge of Zone 9 Police Command with Headquarters in Umuahia, Abia State.

The IGP Ringim was born on April 1, 1953 in the Ringim Local Government Area of Jigawa State. He enlisted to the Nigeria Police Force as a Cadet Inspector on March 1, 1977, and has risen in rank and served as Commissioner of Police in the Nigerian States of Adamawa, Osun and Bayelsa.

Jonathan was variously deputy Governor and Governor while Ringim served as CP in Bayelsa. Jonathan fired IGP Ogbonna Onovo who had served for less than 13 months to pick Ringim who is much closer and familiar to the new President.

See related USAfrica special report titled ‘With firings of armed forces chiefs and Onovo, Jonathan enters hardball politics….’

USAfrica News index show that Abia State in the past 10 months, until 10 days ago, was the kidnapping trouble point of south eastern Nigeria, specifically its major commercial city of Aba.

Briefing State House correspondents after the Nigerian Council of  State  meeting on November 4, 2010 attended by former Presidents Shehu Shagari, retired General Muhammadu Buhari and Ernest Shonekan, Benue State governor, said “So, from today, Hafiz Ringim is the substantive Inspector-General of Police.”

All the other former military men who ruled Nigeria did not attend the meeting, namely retired Generals  Yakubu Gowon, Olusegun Obasanjo, Ibrahim Babangida  and Abdulsalami Abubakar.

On the general insecurity in parts of the country, a key part of Ringim’s tasks ahead, Adamawa Governor Murtala Nyako added the Council received a presentation from the National Security Adviser (NSA), retired General Owoye Azazi. Nyako noted that: “The Council was, however, worried that with the amnesty program, there was no basis for new camps being established by the militants when old ones have been closed. “Today, we had briefing from the National Security Adviser on the general security of the country. We all remember what happened during the independence anniversary and we are delighted that progress is being made to identify the perpetrators of the heinous crime.”

“Also, we discussed the containers that were discovered at the port with ammunition. Serious efforts are being made to determine how these containers came to be in this country and what actions we need to take in the future to ensure that there will be no lapses.”

Nigerians and the international community are reasonably concerned about the realities of insecurity of lives and properties, local and international, especially in the Niger Delta areas, the primary constituency of Nigeria’s President Jonathan. Ringim’s plate is full….

• Chido Nwangwu, Founder and Publisher of USAfrica, and first African-owned, U.S-based newspaper published on the internet USAfricaonline.com, The Black Business Journal, CLASSmagazine, PhotoWorks.TV, AchebeBooks.com, Nigeria360, USAfricaTV and several blogs, assessed by The New York TImes as the largest and arguably most influential multimedia networks for Africans and Americans. He served on the editorial board of the Daily Times of Nigeria in Lagos and worked for the Nigerian Television Authority (news) in the 1980s; served on a publicity committee of the Holocaust Museum, Houston; recipient of an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree in May 2009; adviser on Africa to Houston’s former Mayor Dr. Lee Brown. Chido appears as an analyst on CNN, VOA, SABC, CBSNews, ABCNews, FOXNews, NBCNews, etc. Chido@USAfricaonline.com. wireless: 832-45-CHIDO (24436). Office: 713-270-5500.

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Special News Insight by Chido Nwangwu, USAfrica multimedia networks, Nigeria360 e-group and CLASSmagazine, Houston.

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