culled from Independent, November 26, 2005
Born great and made to achieve greatness, Tafa
Balogun, the 21st Inspector-General of Police was
born on August 8, 1947 at Ila-Orogun in present
Osun State. He enlisted into the Nigerian Police
Force on May 1, 1973 after graduating from the
University of Lagos in 1972. Balogun was a
member of cadet Assistant Superintendent of
Police (ASP) Course 3. Having worked in various
Police commands throughout the federation, and
earning his promotions as at when due, Tafa, was
at a time, the Principal Staff Officer (PSO) to
former Inspector-General of Police, Muhammadu
Gambo, Deputy Commission of Police Edo State,
the pioneer Commissioner of Police in Delta State,
later Rivers State and Abia State.
Tafa, a fellow of the premier highest military
institution in Nigeria, the National War College
later became the Assistant Inspector General of
Police A.I.G Zone One Kano, from where he was
named the 21st IGP of Police on March 6, 2002.
The Nigerian Police morale was at its lowest ebb,
when he assumed the mantle of leadership,
introduced, proactive policing, and the eight-point
crime control strategy on assumption of office.
Also, six Deputy Inspectors General of Police were
appointed to work alongside with him. These are
D.I.G "A", headed by Mr. Sunday Ehindero, now
the Acting Inspector General of Police, D.I.G ‘B’,
C,D,E and F all representing the six geopolitical
zones of the country. He christened the DIGs and
himself the management team of the police
hierechy. His eight point crime control strategy
was well applauded by members of the force and
Nigerians, as hoodlums were then having a field
day.
The eight point crime control strategy were
(a) massive onslaught against armed robbery,
gruesome murder/assassination and other crimes
of violence, the methodology for which, this will
be achieved, he christened "Operations Fire for
Fire".
(b) Fast and decisive crisis/conflict management
(c) Comprehensive training programme conducive
for qualitative policing
(d) Anti-corruption crusade both within and
outside the force.
(e) Robust public relations necessary for our
vision of "People’s Police".
(f) Community partnership in policing. The
modern approach all over the world.
(g) Inter service/agency cooperation at all level
and down the line.
(h) Improved conditions of service and enhanced
welfare package for all officers, inspectors and
rank and file".
By the year 2003, the morale of the force has
reached its apogee, as the men were ready to put
in the best to move the force forward. Between
2002 to 2004, the Nigeria Police arrested a total of
19,135 robbery suspects, 6,815 killed, 12,006 fire
arms and 472,020 amunitions were recovered
while 2,148 stolen vehicle were also recovered.
During the period 172 policemen were killed in
operation, while 151 were injured. Apart from
enhancing its operational capabilities, he also
ensured that police welfare was adequately taken
care of, this was through promotions welfare
insurance scheme and training.
In the area of promotion, over 170,000 policemen
were promoted between 2002 and 2004, which is
more than the promotions that had been carried
out in the force from 1930 when the Nigeria Police
force was founded. Also over 721 policemen
killed in operations have enjoyed the welfare
insurance scheme which is a line of succour for
the next of kin of killed policemen which is paid
within 14 days of death.
Tafa Balogun also did not take the training of
officers and men of the force lightly as over
147,347 officers and men went on various
courses locally between 2002 and 2004. On
corruption, especially in the area of extortion, Tafa
dismissed over 1,200 police officers for various
acts bordering on official corruption in his thee
year tenure.
He introduced regular payment of salaries and
allowances, the community policing which a
number of officers went on courses in United
Kingdom and the United State in 2004.
The erstwhile IGP, then started running a one
man show at the Loius Edet Force Headquarters
Abuja, as ideas and suggestions of his able
lieutenants were jettisoned, and it became a
glorified management team. No contribution from
them and constant interference in their
departments became the order of the day. At their
so called management team meetings, Tafa’s
directive whether goiod or bad was final as no
D.I.G ever challenged such decisions and this did
not go down well with the offices and rank and
file of the entire force.
Also, fraternising with all manner of people in the
society did not help matters in the force as
keeping to time for appointments and
assignments was not in the former IGP’s
dictionary. Journalists covering the police beats
had to wait as much as three hours for an
assignment to take place and that always put him
at logger heads with newsmen. Balogun’s track
record attracted some of the finest officers to
work with him; his image-maker, Deputy
Commissioner of Police, Chris Olakpe was always
there to defend his boss when the need arose, but
it soon became obvious that his boss was a bad
product to market. Also his Principal Staff Officer
(PSO), Solomon Arase, had to bear with his boss,
inspite of all his shortcomings.
The role of the police in the 2003 general
elections was also the climax of it all, as
Nigerians rose in unison to call for the removal of
Balogun as the IGP. But inspite of the intense
criticism, the former police boss, rose stoutly to
defend the police for being able to perform the
wonderful feat of transiting from one civilian
government to another, which had never
happened in the history of Nigeria. He was also
quick to brand his opponents as detractors who
wanted to bring down the government of
President Olusegun Obasanjo. It is his close
affinity with the seat of power that gave him so
much confidence that nobody could remove him
from office until 2007.
.During his three years tenure, Balogun always
ensured that nobody acted on his behalf,
whenever he was out of the country, but in times
of emergency the presidency in its wisdom,
always directed Ehindero, being the most senior
D.I.G to take charge as could be seen during the
attack on Governor Akume in March 2004.
By early January, it had become apparent that
Balogun was under financial probe by the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC) headed by an Assistant Commissioner of
Police Nuhu Ribadu, who had received a deluge of
petitions on the illegal activities of the former IGP.
The investigation which stated discreetly had
within two days turned out to be the shocker of
the year.
Balogun who never beleivd that his exit from the
force was at hand is indubitably devastated.
However, the undaunting task before Ehindero is
to once again rekindle the morale of the force
which has once again plummeted.
The jubilation that heralded the change of baton
by officers and men of the Force last Monday
when Ehindero became the 22nd Inspector
General of the Nigeria Police proved conclusively
that Balogun had squandered the enormous
goodwill he enjoyed at the beginning.
His was indeed a classical case of a fall from
grace to grass



http://www.dawodu.com/agbambu1.htm

op, u omitted many interesting part. Especially that part where the junior officer he used in money was tortured to comma which led the guy to leak every secret of Mr Tafa.

How are the mighty falling

mabeni:
op, u omitted many interesting part. Especially that part where the junior officer he used in money was tortured to comma which led the guy to LICK every secret of Mr Tafa.

leak not lick bro