NIGERIA POLICE ACADEMY,WUDIL,KANO AND MATTERS ARISING.

Nigeria police Academy, Wudil became a degree …awarding university in 2013.Prior to that Degree or
HND holders undergo 18 months rigorous training and academic activities before being commissioned as
Cadet police officers graduating as Assistant Superintendent of Police. But with the conversion to its new
status, fresh school leavers of not more than 23 years of age are admitted annually to participate in the
screening exercises and at the end, successful candidates are admitted for a 5~year program leading to
the award of a university degree and commissioned as an Assistant Superintendent of Police.

The Academy is in the news of late. Attention has been drawn to the institution following a trending report
by Sahara Reporters alleging attempt whether perceived or real by the Commandant of the Academy,
A.I.G Abdurrahman Ahmad to islamize the Academy.

Ordinarily, the report should not have attracted a response or a rejoinder because of the falsehood,
barefaced lies distortions and misinformation contained in the said report. Except that it is proper to
situate the issues in the proper context for Nigerians to understand that there is clearly an attempt to
stoke religious crises in a regimented national and a special university like Academy. We all know how
sensitive religious issues are in the country. One is also being forced to subscribe to a theory that this
attempt is purely a clear case of campaign of calumny by interests not comfortable with the style of
administration of the commandant. He is barely four months on the saddle as the commandant and any
objective analyst will decipher the policy thrust and the direction of his administration, particularly, his
resolve to challenge the status quo. The Academy needs such a courageous person at this time to rescue
it from the myriad of challenges bedeviling its growth and development. Some entrenched forces are
holding the Academy by its jugular. We challenge authorities outside the management to undertake an
independent investigation on happenings in the Academy. Both members of Academic and Non academic
staff should be interviewed to have an informed position and not this, clearly a sponsored report to
undermine the effort to turn things around.

Postings not just in the police but other security services or Armed forces are based on competence and
loyalty. Once somebody assumes leadership, the buck stops on his table and stands to accept blame or
credit for events under his stewardship. Premium is always on who can deliver the assignment. I don't
understand how this is seen as a problem. - Among the only two Commissioners of Police in the Academy,
all the 2 are Christians but heaven didn't fall and the Commandant works with them cordially.

- The Academy has a total number of eight Deputy Commissioners of Police and out of the 8 only 2 are
Muslims, the majority 6 are all Christians and no any complaint from any Muslim and they enjoy working
with the Commandant.

- The Police Public Relations Officer was appointed by a Commandant who preceded the one that this
Commandant took over from. But because of his condition of health as the only survivor of a ghastly motor
accident, his second in command a competent Inspector of Police is overseeing the office.

- Again nobody is talking is about the Sallah Rice distributed by Commandant to the staff, why? Perhaps
because majority of the beneficiaries are Christians; some of whom are friends to sahara reporters.
- Also is it part of islamization that majority of the Cadets penalised and sent out of the Academy by the
Commandant were Muslims? Certainly the reverse would have been the case!

The Commandant has an untainted record and cannot be forced to work with corrupt, incompetent and
irresponsible officers based on sentiments. We must not attach religious meanings to every policy action.

It is rather laughable and mischievous for the writers to attribute the appointment of principal officers of
the Academy to the current commandant.

They have been left in acting capacity for the past three years, according to the writers. But they failed to
disclose that the commandant is just about four months old in charge. The supervising ministry does the
appointment of principal officers and not the commandant. Intact, these appointments have not been
attended to for over five years now. The last official appointments were done under Goodluck Jonathan's
administration when Professor Abdulrahman Siraj was appointed from Ahmadu Bello university, Zaria. At
the expiration of his tenure, a letter was said to have emanated from the ministry requesting that the
most senior persons should act pending the approvals of the new principal officers. Professor Abdulkadir
Ibrahim, acted for over three years, retired and then, Professor Umar Indabawa, who was next in order
of seniority assumed leadership and as we write, Professor Umar Ndabawa and his team remain still in
acting capacity for more than three years.

In fact, the present commandant should be commended for officially writing to the minister of police
affairs, requesting for a change or appointments of new principal officers as the present crop have
overstayed in Acting capacities. This has obviously not gone down well with the system as some of them
have vowed to fight the commandant for daring to challenge the order.

In the same vein, let it be emphasized again that appointments of Deans and HODs are purely the
prerogative of the Coordinator. No commandant since the inception of the Academy has ever attempted
to interfere. It is purely an academic issue. There are series of issues with some of those appointments
and renewal as some are spending six years instead of the maximum four years as is the order in the
university system but this is purely outside the control of the commandant. The Coordinator should be
interrogated on this rather than the commandant.

Earned academic allowance has remained a sour issue in the Academy. One should have expected the
reporters to undertake a thorough investigation on the issue before rushing to the press. For the record,
this allowance has never been paid, not even once in the Academy. This predates the current commandant.
Matters got worse when the Academic staff withdrew their services earlier this year resulting in
postponement of semester exams. The actions were suspended when the commandant was able to
demonstrate leadership by the steps he had taken so far. He has drawn the attention of the police
Inspector ~general and the minister of finance. This is unparallel in the history of the Academy. He coopted
the representatives of the Academic staff in all these steps taken so far to convince all stakeholders on his
sincerity and determination to confront and address all the challenges. The strike action was suspended
not because the money has been paid but in deference to his efforts and the conviction that for the first
time, actions are being taken to bring smiles to the faces of the entire staff that have been consistently
denied of their legitimate entitlements.He should be commended rather than being vilified. The session
is running smoothly.

Can someone please clarify issues from the chief caterer of the Academy on this issue of segregation
of muslims and Christians in the dinning ? It is taking the jokes too far. The Academy caterer is a Christian
for the record too.. She ,in her wisdom converted fasting cadets lunch with their dinner during break of
fast and their morning breakfast fast to Sahur. Who does not understand what muslims go through during
that special month of Ramadan ?What for God's sake is wrong with the cadets breaking fast in the mosque
after prayers and staying behind after the break of fast to observe their tedious Tarawi
prayers ?Somebody is insensitive and showing his hatred for the muslims. Pure and simple. Because I
don't think there was such practice before the month of Ramadan and whether it has continued after the
month of Ramadan.

And again, this is not the first time cows are being slaughtered during sallah period. Please check your
records. The practice has always been there even under Christian leadership. I stand to be corrected. What
we fail to understand is that most times, cadets are in school during these festivities because of the Islamic
lunar calendar. It is unlike our Christian brothers and sisters who are most times at home during Easter
and Christmas holidays. Can any commandant refuse to slaughter if the cadets remain in school during
the Christmas season ?I doubt strongly. Afterall, the present commandant resumed after the last
Christmas. Where are these issues coming from ?Certainly, some interests are indeed fighting.

The last other issue of scarf for female police officers or cadets is a policy matter that should have been
directed to the ministry. The Inspector General of Police could not have announced if the appropriate
authorities did not approve it. The Commandant did not initiate the policy of optional head scarfs for
female officers and by implication, the cadets.

Can he stop cadets from wearing the scarf and won't attract official reprimand ?What is his offence on
this issue please ?Perhaps, he should challenge the policy that has the approval of the authorities and his
superiors.

There are serious issues in the Academy which members of the public need to investigate and understand.
These are least of the issues. Morale of members of staff is terribly very low. I challenge the media to
interrogate the issues. The present commandant has introduced innovative and radical approaches in
addressing some of the issues. I also do understand that disciplinary actions have consistently been meted
out to deserving cadets. It is on record that he is a disciplined and incorruptible officer. Several cadets
have been expelled and dismissed since he assumed leadership. The records are there for verification.
Continuous disciplinary process has been instituted in the Academy to check the excesses and
unbecoming indisciplinary attitudes of the cadets. I am sure that some of the people affected by this no
nonsense posture won't rest until he is punished for doing the right thing.

This piece is clearly a response to this well orchestrated attempt to destabilize the commandant from
being focused on his determination to leave the Academy better than he met it. No doubt, he is a God
fearing man that has refused to be disturbed by threats. We encourage a dispassionate investigation and
report, devoid of emotions rather than what appears to be a clandestine moves to thwart a quiet
revolution that is meant to restore the Academy to its original mission and vision. Truth, according to
Uthman Dan Fodio is an open wound, only conscience can heal it. Responding to a question if the school
may wish to make an official rejoinder to the online publication by Sahara Reporters, one of the
respondents noted that, it was unfortunate that, the media gate-keepers of the online media outlet –
Sahara Reporters would have embarked on an investigative mission to the Academy for facts finding,
owing to the fact that, the owner of the online media platform has a son – Abiola Sowore, who was a
Cadet of 3rd Regular Course and graduate of the Academy currently serving with the Nigeria Police Force.