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In every part of the world separation of powers and the rule of law are essential ingredients of good governance and leadership. This dual approach serve as a guide to prevent the intermittent flex of power, authority and undue usurpation even in a military regime.
In a democratic setting, the efficacy and jurisdiction of separation of power cannot be overemphasized because it plays a dominant role that should not be neglected by any leader irrespective of the prowess of his or her idiosyncrasies. However, an abuse of the rule of law or an egocentric trampling and stamping on the dictates of power separation may stimulate a colossal effect in the political affairs of a democratic state. When a security officer shuns the ethical values of his profession switching to become a staunch promoter of misguided interplay of power, such personnel are no longer worthy to reckon with hence they should be shown the way out of the profession, better still they can resign to wax their political ambitions.
In recent time, Kogi state witnessed an ugly political power play under the acclaimed ‘watchful guide’ of a political police officer doubling as the Commissioner of Police in Kogi state. The many ills of CP Wilson Inalegwu is becoming too incessant and demeaning in the public glare and his antecedents is a clear pointer that his insincerity of purpose did not commence with the Kogi state experience rather it is his character to have evil romance with the big powers.
Recall that on the 20th of November 2014, Mr Wilson Inalegwu acting on the orders of his master, as the FCT Commissioner of police, he led a team of security operatives to cause a melee at the National Assembly. The CP alongside his men prevented the former Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and other lawmakers from entering the National Assembly to preside over a special session on the extension of emergency rule in three north-eastern states, a development that forced the legislators to scale the gate to gain entrance into the complex. In the aftermath of the tussle, an ad-hoc committee was set up in the senate to investigate him. He was summoned to appear before the committee to explain the reasons for his unprofessional misconduct. Findings later revealed the CP acted as part of a plot to impeach the Speaker in his absence. In his usual manner of twisting facts, Inalegwu scripted Mr James Idachaba, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) attached to the complex, maintaining that the security details attached to the Senate President, fired the tear gas during the rancour thereby exonerating his team. Idachaba later confessed the instructions to block the entrance of the National Assembly was contained in a directive from the FCT Command of the Nigeria Police.
In March this year, Inalegwu resumed duties as the Commissioner of police in Kogi state and ever since then the political tension in the state gained momentum.
Recently, precisely on the 12th of June 2017, Senator Dino Melaye narrowly escaped an assassination attack during a political rally in Lokoja, Kogi state capital. However, the attack led to the death of two persons who died on the spot as a result of the close range gun shot injuries they sustained. This happened under the close watch and supervision of Inalegwu, the supposed impartial commissioner of police. To cover any trace of unprofessional misdeed, Inalegwu still acting on the orders of the state Governor, went on air the following day banning all forms of political rally in the state. He claimed the ill fated rally, led by Dino was disrupted by political thugs which according to him was as a result of the absence of law enforcement agents because they were not “informed”.
To further worsen the escalated scenario, on the 1st day of August 2017, a battalion of thugs stormed the Kogi State House of Assembly Complex disrupting plenary by chasing the lawmakers out of the premises. During the gruesome attack, a renowned opposition of the incumbent government of Kogi state, Hon Friday Sani, the member representing Igala-mela / Odolu constituency was beaten to pulp by the thugs, who further striped him naked and left him in the pool of his own blood. According to eyewitness reports and pictorial evidences, the hired elements perpetrated their ugly schemes in the presence of police operatives who neither resisted or countered them. In his habitual way of remarks, Inalegwu swiftly reacted to the development while speaking on Channels TV the following day that he was aware of security threats thus he deployed a good number of his men to secure the complex prior to the commencement of sitting.
Now that the handwriting is legible, can Inalegwu answer the following posers?
He claimed the Nigeria police was not informed during the rally organized by Senator Dino, what is function of the police patrol and surveillance team?
How can a group of persons converged on a particular venue for hours without being noticed by the police team? Remember the rally took place in the state capital, which is supposed to be the most fortified location in terms of security rating on the state.
Again, how did the thugs overpower his men who he claimed were on ground to forestall the break of law and order?
What did the police officers present in the venue of the thug surpassing fight do to deter the thugs?
Was any arrest made during the fight or after the chaos?
What has CP Inalegwu done to curb the high rising activities of kidnappers in Kogi state? Absolutely nothing! Rather he choose to wine and dine with his political associates. This is a case of misplaced priority.
These are mind boggling questions that the CP need to address because the ongoing impunity that is recorded during his tenure is fast becoming “double tragedy, too many”.
It is my humble opinion, that the Acting President, Prof Yemi Osinbanjo should timely declare a State of Emergency in Kogi but before then Wilson Inalegwu should be redeployed from the state to prevent the incessant reoccurrence of gross impunity and misguided romance of power play. His ‘political services’ is no longer needed in the state because his political interference is a rape of justice and an abortion of the rule of law. For peace, security and political normalcy to be entrenched in Kogi state, Inalegwu must not reflect in the picture because he betrayed the trust and confidence the Nigeria police bestowed on him. He equally portrayed he is incompetent and lack professional discipline to serve as the Commissioner of police in Kogi state. It baffles me to note these aberrations championed by a high ranking police officer who once excelled in his professional, at least to some extent but was relegated to the position of an ‘errand officer’ on resumption in Kogi state.
No doubts, chameleons changes their colours as an adaptive style in a new environment but it is not a general rule that the chameleon will remain there. Life is dynamic not static. Inalegwu is causing more harm than good in the confluence state and he should be guided never to meddle in the political affairs of the state, compensating his personal interest. The Nigeria Police is a non partisan organisation, it is not a political club hence the Inspector General of Police should as a matter of urgency, redeploy CP Wilson Inalegwu possibly to work in the Police headquarters where he can easily be monitored because redeploying him to another state depicts a season of another professional disorder in his new post. He is not ready to repent.
God bless Nigeria!
– Ajogwu-Jerry Ochada
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