He said the thinking of the unnamed people who advised him on the incident was that if he came down hard on policemen from the rank of Assistant Commissioners of Police and above, who were serving in the Louis Edet House headquarters of the police over the bombing, subsequent occupants of the office would be alive to their responsibilities.
The Abuja police headquarters was bombed on June 16, 2011, in what was believed to be the first suicide bombing in Nigeria’s history.
The bomber was said to have followed Ringim’s convoy and drove a car bomb into the premises of the police headquarters.
The bomber and a traffic policeman died on the spot, while several other people were injured and cars razed.
Speaking shortly after swearing in the Chairman of the new Police Service Commission, Mr. Mike Okiro, and five other members recently approved by the Senate, Jonathan said those who advised him were miffed that a bomber could drive into the premises of the police headquarters, which was supposed to be a secured place.
Those inaugurated alongside Okiro included a retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Yakubu Mohammed, representing North West Zone; Justice Olufunke Adekeye (South West); Aisha Tukur (North East); Ms. Comfort Obi (South East) and Chief Torngee Toranyiin (North Central).
The President said, “One thing and probably I will mention here today is the issue of Nigeria Police. You will agree with me that Nigerians don’t have so much confidence in the Nigerian Police but Nigeria Police are good.
“The Nigeria Police that work outside under United Nations are highly honoured, highly commended, and Okiro will agree with me. But once we come back home, that is not reflected in what we do.
“Even now that we have challenges you will see that, especially when the Police Headquarters was bombed, some people came to me and said, ‘Mr. President, sack all police officers working in that place from Assistant Commissioner of Police and above.’
“I did not sack any because of that incident but that was the advice I got: that ‘if you do that, subsequent people that would be posted there will sit up. How could the police allow their headquarters to be bombed by a very local group called Boko Haram.’
“But I believe there are two things: one is the issue of discipline. And so one of the responsibilities of the Police Service Commission is to instil discipline. Another thing I believe is that people who have no merit to certain ranks are being promoted to those ranks. One of your responsibilities is to handle promotion. I believe with you, only those who merit or deserve promotion would be promoted.”
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