By Jimitota Onoyume

Arewa leader in the south , Alhaji Musa Saidu has cautioned against allowing police officers senior to the new Inspector General of Police , Mr Olatunji Rilwan Disu, to remain in office.

Speaking against the backdrop of a publication in a national newspaper alleging that president Bola Tinubu has blocked the mass retrenchment of officers senior to the new IGP, Saidu said if it’s true that President Tinubu wants them to remain it would affect the smooth operations of the new IGP.

He said the tradition of the police where officers senior to any IGP appointed resigns should be enforced to enable the new IGP, Mr Disu function properly .

“How will the new IGP function ! It is not possible for the new IGP to function very well when his superior officers are allowed to remain in office . Asking his superiors to remain is like incapacitating the new IGP. Tinubu did not start the tradition . And they are not the first to go under this circumstance when an officer below the rank of a senior officer is appointed to head the police “, he said.

“If the president says they should remain and answerable to him then you have weakened the IGP. It is either Mr President encourages the IGP to succeed or he doesn’t appoint an IGP.

“We cannot politicize the IGP. The IGP should be made to take responsibility for his actions as the number one Chief police officer in the country.

“We want the IGP to succeed. I know what he did in Rivers. This is not a time to mix up security with sympathy. The IGP has the capacity to succeed . He listens to all who have good ideas . The security problem in the country will be significantly reduced If this IGP is funded and encouraged.

“I am begging the President to maintain the tradition, don’t sympathize with any officer meant to go with the appointment of a new IGP.

“Our responsibility is to advise as citizens .If security fails because there are officers senior to the IGP still in the system then don’t blame him. The superior officers have done their best yet the police did not achieve the desired result.

“Mr President is trying but he should not destroy the police tradition. He should allow the new IGP to reorganize the police and take responsibility for his actions. Those that are his superiors have done their best they should go. So that we can assess the IGP on his merit “, he said.