. 6 DIGs removed. Why Ringim had to go. FG raises overhaul panelAssistant Inspector General of Police Mohammed Dikko Abubakar has been appointed Acting Inspector General, replacing Hafiz Ringim who was forced out yesterday in the wake of heightening insecurity in the country.Ringim turned in his resignation a month early, 10 days after the main suspect in the deadly Christmas Day bomb attack escaped from police custody and five days after the Kano bombings that left 185 people dead.He was due to retire on March 1 when he would have put in 35 years in the Police Force.'President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has approved the appointment of Mr. Mohammed Abubakar as Acting Inspector General of Police as a first step towards the comprehensive reorganisation and repositioning of the Nigeria Police Force,' Presidential spokesman Reuben Abati said in a statement yesterday.'Mr. Abubakar who is currently an Assistant Inspector General of Police replaces Mr. Hafiz Ringim who proceeds on terminal leave with effect from today.'Earlier yesterday, rumours circulated in Abuja that Ringim had submitted his resignation while Abubakar was being brought to Abuja by a presidential aircraft from Bauchi. He was later seen at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, and a few hours after that his appointment was announced.On Tuesday, Ringim was at the Presidential Villa where he held a meeting with President Jonathan, though he refused to speak to reporters on why he was there.Abubakar, born on May 5, 1958, enlisted in the Nigeria Police Force on July 30, 1979, and rose to become AIG in charge of Zone 12 in Bauchi, where he was until his new appointment. He hails from Zamfara State.The new police chief has an Advance Diploma in Public Administration from the Sokoto State Polytechnic in 1993, Diploma in Criminal Justice Administration from the University of Lagos in 1995, and a Diploma in Disaster Management and Control.Professional courses he attended include General Detective Security Course at the Metropolitan Police, West London, England in 1982; Police Mobile Training in Malysia in 1983; Police Mobile Training in Gwoza Maiduguri in 1983; General Security and Intelligence Course at the Police Academy in Cairo, Egypt, 1986; Basic Intelligence Course at Military School Badagry, Lagos, 1987; and General Security and Terrorism Control Course at the Federal Investigation Bureau, in USA 1988-1989.He also attended the International Security Course number 9 at University of Survey England 1991; Intermediate Command Course at Police Staff College Jos, 1991; Senior Command Course at the Police Staff College Jos, 1995; General security and Intelligence Course at Israel 1996; and Disaster Management Course at Haifa Israel, 1996.Abubakar served as Commissioner of Police in Plateau, Abia, Kwara, Lagos and Kano states, and also at Airport Police Command, Ikeja, Lagos. He was also Assistant Inspector General of Police at Zone 2 Onikan, Zone 5 Benin, Zone 6 Calabar and Zone 12 Bauchi.With the coming of Abubakar, an officer junior to them, all the Deputy Inspectors General of Police working with Ringim were retired immediately.They are Mrs. Ivy Uche Okoronkwo, DIG POL 2i/c Force Headquarters; Mr. Azubuko J. Udah, DIG Administration ('A' Dept); Mr. Sardauna Abubukar, DIG Training ('E' Dept.); Mr. Audu Abubakar, DIG Operations ('B' Dept); Mr. Saleh Abubakar, DIG Works ('C' Dept.); and Mr. Mohammed A. Yesufu, DIG Planning and Info-Tech ('F' Dept.).Why Ringim had to goRingim, who became IGP on September 8, 2010, proceeded on terminal leave yesterday, according to the Presidency statement.He has been under pressure to resign, following series of security incidents that were seen as failure on the part of the force.The height of police embarrassment under Ringim came last week when key Boko Haram suspect Kabiru Sokoto escaped while police were taking him from their headquarters to Abaji, outside Abuja, to conduct a search there.Security sources said it was a 'dangerous and suspicious' way to handle a suspect, Reuters news agency reported.The escape earned him a query from the Federal Government.In June last year, Boko Haram staged an audacious strike when a suicide bomber hit the Police Force Headquarters in Abuja just as Ringim was driving into the premises.On August 26, 2011 a suicide bomber struck the U.N. building in Abuja, killing at least 23 people.Ringim's latest troubles ignited by Kabiru Sokoto's escape worsened last Friday when suspected Boko Haram members went on bombing and shooting sprees in Kano, striking several police bases and killing at least 185 people.Police overhaul panel set upPresident Jonathan also yesterday established a nine-member special committee to oversee the reorganisation of the Nigeria Police Force, to be headed by chairman of the Police Service Commission, Mr. Parry Osayande. Other members are retired AIG of police Mr. Casimir T. Akagbosu, retired AIG Mr. Bashir A. Albasu, retired Major Gen. S.N. Chikwe, Prof. S.D. Mukoro, Dr. Fabian Ajogwu, Aisha Larai Tukur, Solicitor General of the Federation Abdullahi Yola, and Permanent Secretary, SSO, Office of the SGF to serve as secretary to the committee.The committee's goals included: 'To determine the general and specific causes of the collapse of public confidence in the police and recommend ways of restoring public trust in the institution ... examine records of performance of officers of the Nigeria Police Force with a view to identifying those that can no longer fit into the system.
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