The Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, on Tuesday, narrated his working relationship with the former Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, describing it as difficult.
Dambazau said the ministry experienced “better friendly relationships” with a previous Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase.
It was gathered that Dambazau spoke during a courtesy visit by the recently appointed acting IGP, Mohammed Adamu, in Abuja.
He urged the new police chief to have “a better working relationship with the Ministry of Interior”.
“I congratulate the Acting Inspector General of Police. I appreciate your coming here recognising the significance of the Ministry of Interior following its supervisory mandate of the police and other agencies and also its mandate in internal security and public safety.
“Because we are happy that you took this step because since November 2015 that I came in here as minister, Solomon Arase, who was the then Inspector General of Police, we had a cordial relationship.
But after Arase left, I think there was ‘perseverance’ of relationship between the police and the Ministry of Interior,” Dambazau said.
Dambazau’s ministry supervises the activities of the country’s security outfits vis a vis internal security.
Recall that recently, Idris handed over to Adamu as the new Acting Inspector General of Police after he retired.
The former IG’s reign as the nation’s top cop was largely characterised by brushes with the parliament, civil society, media, and the public with many criticising him for his abuse of authority.
The former Chief of Army staff was quoted as saying that in his three years in office as minister, he had presented over 25 memoranda to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) which had to do with projects and none had included the police.
”Not completely because most of our dealings in terms of internal security and public safety were with the present DIG Operations because we thought we must do everything possible regardless to ensure that we ensure our mandate in terms of police and also ensure that the police as an institution does not suffer. We are glad today that you came in with a different idea to strengthen this relationship,” he said.
“Throughout the three years, we have presented more than 25 memorandums to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) that have to do with policies and projects. But none of those 25 memorandums that went to FEC included the police. So, this is the kind of things that we should avoid,” he stated.
