American car manufacturer Henry Ford (1863-1947) once said “that
the whole secret of a successful life is to find out what it is one’s destiny
to do, and then do it”. For Umar Manko a Prince from the historical and popular
Nupe Kingdom and the incumbent Commissioner of Police Lagos State, his journey
to attaining his present status is unarguably a potpourri of Ford’s line of
thought and the benevolence of God Almighty who at different times, placed on
his track certain individuals when it was obvious he might derail from
his predetermined journey in life.
In an exclusive interview in Lagos, he espoused on issues of his growing years, his enlistment
into the Police Force and other sundry issues that bothers on security and the
IGP’s reformatory agenda. Excerpts:
Your family background, your
growing years, and the boy Umar, was he the stubborn or a quiet looking someone?
Stubborn, not at all, quiet and easy
going Yes, the boy Umar is the son of Musa Manko, who was the grandson of King
Masaba of Nupe, we were nine of us by our parents and as at the time that I was
growing up, my father had passed on. However, coming from a royal family, you
cannot go around without notice, but all the same, I used to be a very good
footballer, sometimes I avoid going to school because then, I did not like
schooling, but all in all, I happened to be a very quite person, but that does
not mean that if you annoy me, I won’t talk. I am well built physically and
full of strength and so if you annoy me unnecessarily, I will fight back.
Eventually, you became a policeman,
was there any external influence that informed your decision?
No, the thing is that in those days,
you have what was then called Native Authority Police, the one in Bida where I
came from, has as it leader one Usman Isah and as the head of the Native
Authority Police, we call him Geda, he was so influential, and was admired by
all and sundry. The man was a well known person and was extremely handsome, and
so it was that anytime he appears in that Native Authority Police Uniform, he
looks graceful and everybody admires him. He was like a cousin or more so, like
an elder brother to me. So whenever the opportunity avails itself, we go
to watch he and his colleagues at their place of work and we also did that
during the independence celebrations and that indeed had some impact on me, but
coming to me enlisting into the Nigeria Police, I will tell you that I was
never prepared for it.
I was in my second year in the
University of Sokoto of those days, it is now called Uthman Dan Fodio
University and so it was that there was this publication by the Nigeria Police
informing that they needed some young undergraduates who wish to make a career
in the Nigeria Police Service. They immediately give the authorities a
postscript that was introduced by them for onward transmission to the students.
Coincidentally, one of my
school mates Alhaji Bashira was a law student and was also a Chief
Superintendent of Police at that time and we were close and this man whenever
he comes for lectures in Police uniform adorning his rank one falls in love
because he looks admirable . He retired with the rank of an AIG.
He was the one who persuaded me into
accepting the postscript when I initially sneered at it. Upon his persuasions,
I now consulted one of my friend Ahmed Sharu , who is now a retired Colonel for
his views and he simply told me that it is worth the while trying it, and so I
applied and was invited for the interview.
After my graduation, I was posted as
part of the National Youth Service Corps scheme to Alagbon close where I saw
what is policing practically and I must confess the whole thing then was
repulsive and I said to myself, if this is the police they want me to join, I
am not going to be part of it.
Again, there was another
officer who was then as an Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of
Criminal Investigation he hails from Kastina and I am from Bida, and from
the Nupe angle, there is this age long affinity between the two tribes, and we
on knowing each other maintained this affinity in our relations and so
one day, he called me and said the Police have advertise for eligible
candidates for Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police course , go and apply,
I told him out rightly that I will not apply because I have made up mind to
return home. Then he said when I eventually get home, what I am going to
do, and I replied that I wish to get employment in the Civil Service because my
ambition is to become a Permanent Secretary.
He okay that is fine, and with a
tinge of seriousness in his tone, he announced “I think you know we have your
records with the Police, if you go, we shall come and arrest you” If that
sounded like a joke, I wasn’t quite prepared for it because fear immediately
registered in my mind (general laughter). So I picked up the form, went through
it and as they say, the rest is history and here I am today.
What indeed was that thing that you
never liked about the Police at that time?
One I discovered that policemen work
twenty-four hours in a day, and this is not restricted to a particular rank, be
it a junior or a senior officer, they are all there together (general
laughter), so I looked at the whole scenario and said how can someone resume at
his place of work at 7.00am and by 7.00pm, he is not assured when he is going
to close for the day.
Compare and contrast the Police Force
you joined at that period and now?
No, no, you see the police I joined
then was the one that was grounded in service to humanity. Then you find people
that were real professionals to the core, they knew their limits and you know
them as a policeman, their allegiance is to the government of Nigeria and the
public. Then of course everything you needed to perform your duty efficiently
and effectively was provided for you so much so that if you were to be
travelling the authorities write off your travelling expenses.
With nostalgia I remember vividly
that when I passed out of the training college, I was posted to FCT Abuja, and
whenever I had cause to travel from Abuja to Lagos, there was always a
vehicle made available for that purpose and perchance the journey was to be
undertaken by flight, there was also what was referred to as Air warrant, that
was available then and all you needed do is to approach Nigerian Airways
officials who in turn will issue you a rebate ticket and almost immediately
,you are paid your allowance right on the spot.
With this type of arrangement, you
have no cause to seek for help outside, that to come And if you are to go
by road, all that you needed was the available land Rover vehicle
and the log book, and there was no need to carry jerry cans of fuel along
with you, what happens is that the moment you observe that you are running out
of fuel, drive into any nearest police post for a refill, because there were
full dumps within every Police post and having filled your fuel tank, it is
recorded in the log book which will immediately be handed over to you which in
turn you turn in when you get back home.
Give us your assessment of crime rate
since your assumption of office?
Well I would have loved you to do
that for me, because my assessment might be subjective, but I do know that in
Lagos State, crime rate has abated, there is no society that is crime free, but
Lagos State with its size and the strategic position it occupies, one should
expect that once in a while crime of any nature could occur, but Gods willing,
those glaring ones that are overwhelming are being contained and it is
subsiding.
Most Lagosian see policemen as
enemies rather than friend how do you hope to change their perceptions?
I have seized several opportunities
to talk to policemen on this subject and the need to partner with citizens of
the state, so much that I have made available to the general public my
telephone lines, I do not have a secret number, even on the internet, they
could reach me.
I went to the extent of instructing
every DPO and Area Commanders to publish their telephone numbers and display
them at strategic points in their various police stations, so that people who
are in need, could make use of them. I have also made it compulsory for DPOs
and Area Commanders to hold regular town hall meetings with the people with a
view to hearing from the people themselves, I do likewise with groups of
security stakeholders right here at the headquarters. The closer we are to
them, the more of a benefit it is for us because it is only when you are close
to them, that you strike a working relationship and they would volunteer
information about those who live around them as we know and commonly say criminals
are no spirit, they live among us.
Some Lagosian blamed the successful
operations of armed robbers few weeks ago on the absence of road block. Do you
query that?
You see my friend, when people say
the armed robbers had a field day, I disagree with that, agreed that some
miscreants came into Lagos to test our strength and at a point they found to
their chagrin that the place was not conducive for them and they made to flee
and in the process they had an encounter with the policemen and some policemen were
killed. In their bid to escape, they were shooting indiscriminately and in the
melee some innocent civilians were killed.
However, the cheering news is that
all those who carried out that act, are now in our cells here. In the area of
road blocks that are dismantled, it does not mean the absence of policemen from
our roads, the IGP simply said remove the blockage and replace them with
motorized patrol. On that fateful day these robbers from our findings were not
here for child play, they had the ulterior motives to rob banks and some other
places but that was made impossible by our men. I think replacing road blocks
with patrol team is yielding dividends. The Lagos State government and the IGP
who no doubt could safely be referred to as a Lagos man having stayed and
worked here and whose interest in what happens here in Lagos has not
diminished are doing their level best as it concern security within the
metropolis. I must tell you that the killings of innocent Lagosians on that day
really sadden my heart and that is why we vowed to smoke them out and we are
succeeding.
What is your philosophy of life?
Simplicity because it sometimes
attract peace, if you are big and you know that I am not as big as yourself, it
does not give you any added advantage over me. I believe wisdom of God and
common sense demands that life should be lived with the benefit of hindsight
that people have come and gone. There is nothing permanent except change and
when you make a true assessment of yourself, you will remember that whatever
position you find yourself today, is an opportunity and it should be used to
the glory of God and the benefit of mankind.
Credit: People’s daily
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