There is discontent among some officers and men from South-East and South-South geopolitical zones in the police over what they described as “marginalisation of our officers” from the regions in the promotion of personnel.

They fear they may not have satisfactory career in the force if events continue the way they are, calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to come to their rescue.

The officers alleged that they have made representations of the alleged marginalisation of their regions without success despite their qualification, hard work and dedication to duty, pointing out that there is no Assistant Inspector-General (AIGs) of police from the South-East for instance.

To this end, investigations by revealed that there are about 29 Assistant Inspectors-General (AIGs) of police in the force.

Out of the 29 AIGs, 27 are general duty (GD) officers while the remaining two are specialists (medical and air wing).

It was further revealed that the veterinary section ought to have a specialist AIG but a GD officer is heading the section.

According to the officers, even with the 29 AIGs, the South-South and the South-East are being marginalised, as only one officer from the South-South is an AIG, while there is no AIG from the South-East.

It was gathered that while the South-East zone has no AIG, Niger State – where the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, comes from – and Plateau State have two and three AIGs, respectively.

It was further gathered that since Ibrahim Idris took over as the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) on June 21, 2016, no Commissioner of Police (CP) from the South-East has been recommended to the Police Service Commission (PSC) for promotion to the rank of AIG.

When DAILY INDEPENDENT called Jimoh Moshood, Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), he advised the newspaper to reach PSC, which, he said, is in charge of officers of that category.

However, a dependable source close to the Chairman of PSC, retired IGP Mike Okiro, explained on phone that promotion to the rank of AIG was not determined by quota or the federal character principle.

“Promotion from the rank of Commissioner of Police is not done on quota system or on federal character basis.

“In the police, only the rank of Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) is done on quota system or on federal character.”

The source cited the Chairman of PSC who, he said, “was promoted from the rank of a CP to the rank of DIG, even when there were two AIGs senior to him.”

The source added: “Another rank that is done on either quota system or on federal character is from Inspector to Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) only during recruitment exercise.

“Promotion of any other rank is done on seniority basis, except on hard work – an officer who has performed an extra feat is promoted to encourage him.”

Explaining why the South-East has no AIG, the source disclosed that a commissioner from the South-East may soon be promoted.

“There was a CP from the South East who is number three on seniority list in the force. He will be given an AIG before the year ends,” the source assured.

On Tuesday, Last week, the PSC announced the promotion of 414 officers.

A breakdown shows that three Commissioners of Police (CPs) were promoted to the next rank of AIGs, four Deputy Commissioners (DCPs) to Commissioners of Police (CPs) and 12 Assistant Commissioners (ACPs) to DCPs.

The three CPs promoted to the rank of AIG are CP Danjuma Ibrahim, CP Istifanus Shettima, and CP Jimoh Omeiza Ozi-Obeh.

Findings revealed that promotion to a higher rank is not automatic but on availability of vacancy.

“A whole zone cannot produce an AIG, yet Niger State – where the IGP comes from – produces two AIGs. This is one of the lopsidedness and oppression going on in this government. We leave everything to God,” one of the senior officers from the South-East lamented.

Similarly, some officers from the South-South who spoke on strict anonymity also complained about the situation.

“Apart from not giving us (the South-South) equality in the police in the areas of promotion, most of our mates are two ranks ahead of us, and when we see them we salute our juniors who are now our seniors because they are from a particular section of the country.

“The IGP is showing tribalism openly, he posted only his people to juicy areas. He cannot be IGP forever, he will go one day.”

Investigations further revealed that to rectify the marginalisation of South-South officers, the PSC recently promoted Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohinmi, twice within six months to meet up with his contemporaries.

The AIGs and their states of origin are as follows: Musa Katsina (Katsina); Abdul Salami Ayaji (Kogi); Tilli Abubakar (Kebbi), Zone 6, Calabar; Dorothy Gimba (Plateau); Abdul Bube (Sokoto); Agboola Oshodi-Glover (Lagos); Umaru Shehu (Kebbi); Usman Yakubu (Niger); Abdulmajid Ali (Niger); Abubakar A. Mohammed (Nasarawa); Kayode Aderanti (Osun); Mohammed Usman Sani (Bauchi); Yakubu Jibrin (Nasarawa); Ibrahim Adamu (Zamfara), Zone 2; Abdul Dahiru (Kano); Salisu F. Abdullahi (Kano); Lawal Shehu (Katsina), border patrol; Aminchi Samaila Baraya (Taraba); Usman Alkali Baba (Yobe), maritime; Tijani Dada (Yobe); Abubakar Marafa (Kebbi); Dan Bature (Plateau); Karma Hosea Hassan (Taraba); Felix Ogundeji (Ondo); Frederick Taiwo Lakanu (Lagos); Hilda Idiruro Harison (Edo); Rasheed O. Akintunde (Ogun); Ezekiel Zang (Plateau), airwing; and Mohammed, medical.