Mike Mbama Okiro
Encyclopedia
Sir Mike Mbama Okiro was the Inspector General
of the Nigeria Police Force
from 2007 - 2009.
, Imo State
. He is the Agunechemba I of Egbema, and Nigeria's first ethnic Igbo
to assume the post of police Inspector General.
He holds a degree in English Language from the University of Ibadan
, a Masters of Public Administration from the University of Jos
and an LLB.
He joined the Nigerian Police in 1972. Operational and command positions include serving as DPO in several police stations, Member, Armed Robbery & Firearms Tribunal, Lagos State
, Assistant & Deputy Commissioner of Police (operations), Lagos State and later Benue State
. He received a double promotion from Commissioner of Police when he became Deputy Inspector-General of Police.
In June 2009, Okiro released a book titled "Policing Nigeria in a Democracy".
In November 2007, Okiro revealed that in the June-September 2007 period police had shot and killed 785 suspected armed robbers, while arresting 1,628 armed robbers. The Human Rights Watch
organization called for "an immediate public investigation of police activity since Okiro came to office".
In August 2008, Okiro demoted 140 senior police officers including the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
, Nuhu Ribadu
.
In October 2008, Mike Okiro spoke on the responsibilities of the press, saying reporters should avoid sensationalism and should investigate any story carefully before reporting it.
In February 2009 he stated that banks neglected security in their branches because they had insurance coverage.
In November 2008 and again in February 2009, the Chairman of the House Committee on Police Affairs, Abdul Ahmed Ningi
, asked Mike Okiro to provide details of the money recovered from the former IGP Tafa Balogun
, a request that he passed on to the EFCC chairman, Mrs Farida Waziri. However, the EFCC stated that they did not have records of the exact properties recovered from Balogun.
In April 2009, the House of Representatives Committee on Police Affair invited Tafa Balogun, Mike Okiro and Mrs Farida Waziri to explain how the N16 billion allegedly recovered from Balogun got missing.
In April 2009, Mrs. Ayoke Adebayo, Resident Electoral Commissioner of Ekiti State, wrote a letter to President Umaru Yar'Adua resigning from the Independent National Electoral Commission
saying she would not yield to pressure to change election results in her state. Mike Mbamali Okiro declared that she must make herself available to the Nigerian Police within 24 hours.
Mike Okiro headed a five-man inter-agency panel to investigate the $190 million Halliburton
scandal in which it was alleged that KBR, a subsidiary of Halliburton, had distributed bribes to politicians and officials to gain construction contracts from Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas
.
In July 2009 it was found that a key suspect, Abdukadir Abacha, cousin of former military ruler General Sani Abacha
, might have fled the country. President Yar'Adua ordered an interim report to ensure that the panel was not compromised or influenced during a planned visit abroad.
On his retirement at age 60 in July 2009, President Yar'Adua congratulated him on his achievements while in office.
(NDIC) accused Mike Okiro of failing to repay a N166 million loan he obtained between 2000 and 2001 from the Lead Bank, since liquidated.
Okiro was said to have obtained the loan to finance a pipeline contract awarded by Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) to his firm Hekiro Nigeria Limited.
Okiro threatened court action against the NDIC unless it tendered an unreserved apology, but the NDIC maintained their position.
Speaking in August 2009 after a farewell parade in his honor in Abuja
, Mike Okiro spoke of problems with the system where the IGP does not have the authority to fulfill his responsibilities. He also said "The unkindest cut is the attack of a public officer after he has left office with the unholy belief that he is no longer in a position to defend himself."
Inspector-General of Police
An inspector-general of police is a high-ranking police officer.-Ghana:In Ghana, inspector general of police is the title of the head of the Ghana Police Service.-India:...
of the Nigeria Police Force
Nigeria Police Force
The Nigeria Police formerly known as the Nigeria Police Force is the national police of Nigeria.-Authority:The Nigeria Police Force is designated by Section 194 of the 1979 constitution as the national police of Nigeria with exclusive jurisdiction throughout the country...
from 2007 - 2009.
Background
Mike Okiro was born on July 24, 1949 in OgutaOguta
Oguta is a city on the east bank of Oguta Lake in southeast Nigeria. Oguta was one of the first territories used by the British to advance into the Igbo hinterland...
, Imo State
Imo State
Imo State is one of the 36 states of Nigeria and lies to the south of Nigeria with Owerri as its capital and largest city.-History:Imo State came into existence in 1976 along with other new states created under the leadership of the late military ruler of Nigeria, Murtala Muhammad, having been...
. He is the Agunechemba I of Egbema, and Nigeria's first ethnic Igbo
Igbo people
Igbo people, also referred to as the Ibo, Ebo, Eboans or Heebo are an ethnic group living chiefly in southeastern Nigeria. They speak Igbo, which includes various Igboid languages and dialects; today, a majority of them speak English alongside Igbo as a result of British colonialism...
to assume the post of police Inspector General.
He holds a degree in English Language from the University of Ibadan
University of Ibadan
The University of Ibadan is the oldest Nigerian university, and is located five miles from the centre of the major city of Ibadan in Western Nigeria...
, a Masters of Public Administration from the University of Jos
University of Jos
The University of Jos, abbreviated as Unijos, is a federal university in Jos, Plateau State, central Nigeria. The school offers courses in law, medicine, pharmacy, natural sciences, social sciences, the built environment as well as arts and humanities....
and an LLB.
He joined the Nigerian Police in 1972. Operational and command positions include serving as DPO in several police stations, Member, Armed Robbery & Firearms Tribunal, Lagos State
Lagos State
Lagos State is an administrative division of Nigeria, located in the southwestern part of the country. The smallest in area of Nigeria's states, Lagos State is the most populous state in Nigeria and arguably the most economically important state of the country and west Africa, containing Lagos, the...
, Assistant & Deputy Commissioner of Police (operations), Lagos State and later Benue State
Benue State
Benue is a state in the Middle-Belt region of Nigeria with a population of about 2.8 million in 1991. Tiv, Idoma, and Igede are spoken predominantly. There are other ethnic groups as well. These include Etulo and Abakwa...
. He received a double promotion from Commissioner of Police when he became Deputy Inspector-General of Police.
In June 2009, Okiro released a book titled "Policing Nigeria in a Democracy".
Inspector General of Police
After his appointment as IGP in 2007 Okiro reinstated a number of officers who had been forced into early retirement, and promised to provide improved pay, housing and equipment to the police.In November 2007, Okiro revealed that in the June-September 2007 period police had shot and killed 785 suspected armed robbers, while arresting 1,628 armed robbers. The Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
organization called for "an immediate public investigation of police activity since Okiro came to office".
In August 2008, Okiro demoted 140 senior police officers including the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is a Nigerian law enforcement agency that investigates financial crimes such as advance fee fraud and money laundering...
, Nuhu Ribadu
Nuhu Ribadu
Mallam Nuhu Ribadu is a former Nigerian government anti-corruption official. He was the pioneer Executive Chairman of Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission , the government commission tasked with countering corruption and fraud...
.
In October 2008, Mike Okiro spoke on the responsibilities of the press, saying reporters should avoid sensationalism and should investigate any story carefully before reporting it.
In February 2009 he stated that banks neglected security in their branches because they had insurance coverage.
In November 2008 and again in February 2009, the Chairman of the House Committee on Police Affairs, Abdul Ahmed Ningi
Abdul Ahmed Ningi
Abdul Ahmed Ningi is a member of the Nigerian House of Representative who represents the People's Democratic Party in the Ningi/ Warji Constituency of Bauchi State...
, asked Mike Okiro to provide details of the money recovered from the former IGP Tafa Balogun
Mustafa Adebayo Balogun
Mustafa Adebayo Balogun, widely known as Tafa Balogun, was appointed Inspector General of the Nigerian Police in March 2002 and was forced to retire because of widespread charges of corruption in January 2005.-Background:...
, a request that he passed on to the EFCC chairman, Mrs Farida Waziri. However, the EFCC stated that they did not have records of the exact properties recovered from Balogun.
In April 2009, the House of Representatives Committee on Police Affair invited Tafa Balogun, Mike Okiro and Mrs Farida Waziri to explain how the N16 billion allegedly recovered from Balogun got missing.
In April 2009, Mrs. Ayoke Adebayo, Resident Electoral Commissioner of Ekiti State, wrote a letter to President Umaru Yar'Adua resigning from the Independent National Electoral Commission
Independent National Electoral Commission
The Independent National Electoral Commission , set up in 1998, is the electoral body which was set up to oversee elections in Nigeria.The INEC has encountered several controversies in the run-up to the April 2007 general elections, including criticism about its preparedness from Sada Abubakar,...
saying she would not yield to pressure to change election results in her state. Mike Mbamali Okiro declared that she must make herself available to the Nigerian Police within 24 hours.
Mike Okiro headed a five-man inter-agency panel to investigate the $190 million Halliburton
Halliburton
Halliburton is the world's second largest oilfield services corporation with operations in more than 70 countries. It has hundreds of subsidiaries, affiliates, branches, brands and divisions worldwide and employs over 50,000 people....
scandal in which it was alleged that KBR, a subsidiary of Halliburton, had distributed bribes to politicians and officials to gain construction contracts from Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas
Nigeria LNG
Nigeria LNG Limited is a liquefied natural gas -producing company and a liquefied natural gas plant on Bonny Island, Nigeria.- History :...
.
In July 2009 it was found that a key suspect, Abdukadir Abacha, cousin of former military ruler General Sani Abacha
Sani Abacha
General Sani Abacha was a Nigerian military leader and politician. A Kanuri from Borno by tribe, he was born and brought up in Kano, Nigeria. He was the de facto President of Nigeria from 1993 to 1998....
, might have fled the country. President Yar'Adua ordered an interim report to ensure that the panel was not compromised or influenced during a planned visit abroad.
On his retirement at age 60 in July 2009, President Yar'Adua congratulated him on his achievements while in office.
Post-retirement
Shortly before his retirement in July 2009, the Nigeria Deposit Insurance CorporationNigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation
The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation was established on 15 June 1988 to strengthen the safety net for the newly liberalized banking sector, following the recommendation of former Central Bank of Nigeria governor Ola Vincent...
(NDIC) accused Mike Okiro of failing to repay a N166 million loan he obtained between 2000 and 2001 from the Lead Bank, since liquidated.
Okiro was said to have obtained the loan to finance a pipeline contract awarded by Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) to his firm Hekiro Nigeria Limited.
Okiro threatened court action against the NDIC unless it tendered an unreserved apology, but the NDIC maintained their position.
Speaking in August 2009 after a farewell parade in his honor in Abuja
Abuja
Abuja is the capital city of Nigeria. It is located in the centre of Nigeria, within the Federal Capital Territory . Abuja is a planned city, and was built mainly in the 1980s. It officially became Nigeria's capital on 12 December 1991, replacing Lagos...
, Mike Okiro spoke of problems with the system where the IGP does not have the authority to fulfill his responsibilities. He also said "The unkindest cut is the attack of a public officer after he has left office with the unholy belief that he is no longer in a position to defend himself."