Newsfront Online …Telling the Public as it is
A gallant, dutiful, loyal and very committed gentleman who ventured into this planet earth with courage, vim and vigor in readiness to serve his fatherland and the people, AIG Abubakar Marafa, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Zone 6. Before his recent appointment, was Commissioner of Police (CP) in various states in Nigeria namely: Niger, Nassarawa, Kogi and Benue States.
AIG Abubakar Marafa is many things to many people who come his way. To some, he is a detribalized Nigerian, open, kind and generous. Others see him as a father to all who cares and picks interest in the welfare of the people irrespective of where they come from, not even their religion. Highly accommodated, social in all ramifications, fair in disposition but firm in action and operation, he is an officer par excellence.
Available records within our disposal indicate that the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Abubakar Marafa’s effort in crime prevention and control in in Zone 6 of Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Osun, Ebonyi and Cross Rivers States is borne out many years of tactical policing across Nigeria as well as rigorous training within and outside the shores of Nigeria. For instance, in Niger State where he held sway as Police Commissioner, he discovered and invaded notorious Masalacin-Zaki forest popularly called the forest of death in Mashegu Local Government Area of the state and engaged kidnappers in a fierce gun battle that ended up with the arrest of three deadly bandits and recovered arms and ammunitions which they used in terrorizing the state. Other outstanding achievements in Niger included the arrest of cattle rustlers, drastically reducing the menace of armed robbers in the state, raided Kateregi forest in Kacha local government area, arrested one notorious criminal who has been terrorizing and robbing unsuspecting victims of their valuables, trinkets and cash. This is as a result of his rugged, dogged and strong determination to ensure that where ever he finds himself, he leaves a lasting legacy and imprint for posterity.
When AIG Abubakar Marafa took over the leadership of the zone, he embarked on a tour of states within the zones in order to inject the spirit of gallantry, dexterity and result-oriented service in the minds of men and officers of the zone. This he has successfully done and is evident in effective crime fighting spirit, detection, surveillance, and intelligence in his lieutenants. His constant caution to his men to “respect the right of Nigerians; this will trigger cooperation between the police and the society. As a police officer, you must be civil to the members of the public” has paid off as reported cases of police brutality and incessant harassment on the civil public has been drastically reduced to the barest minimum.
In their testimonies, some men and officers in the force within the zone who pleaded anonymity said in different for a that the advert of AIG Abubakar Marafa to the zone has given them a new lease of life and as his encouraging words of advice has given them the morals to put their best in the force, “our operation now has changed because this work we are doing is a risky work and it is wrong for a leader to be bombarding you with complaints instead of encouragements. The present AIG is like a father because he will not only encourage you but advise you on what to do to succeed”. “I use to thank God that the transfer that was given to me was canceled because I would have regretted to go on transfer when this AIG came to this zone. I have been hearing very good stories about this man and the few months he has been with us, I have seen them to be true of him because he does not discourage people while working instead he will rather talk to you as a father talks to his son and that alone is a moral booster”.
If given AIG Abubakar Marafa sufficient tools such as serviceable vehicles such as patrol vans, Lorries, Heavy duty trucks etc; Riot equipments; medical facilities and shortage of medical staff and drugs; good accommodation for officers and men as well as available funds, the operation would be enhanced, service facilitated which will culminate to crime reduction in the zone that is made up of over forty million according to the 2006 census figures.
It is a truism that government cannot do everything, it now behooves on public spirited individuals, multi-national corporations, government agencies to join hands with the AIG to fight crimes and criminalities in the zone by providing these facilities to aid police in their work, especially now that the police hierarchy is combat ready to root out hoodlums in our zone after all, the success of police is our safety
