Merge EFCC, NDLEA, Others With Police, Cop Tells Federal Gov’t

A police officer and author, ACP Dashuwar Tepnyakas, has advocated for the merger of two of Nigeria’s anti-graft agencies: the Economic Crime and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) into an arm of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) for effective policing.

He also advocated the merger of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corp (NSCDC) and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) into the police force to remove duplicity, conflicts and rivalries existing among these agencies.

Tepnyakas made the advocacy during a telephone conversation on Thursday with LEADERSHIP, days after launching a 280-page book titled, “Police and Administration of Criminal Justice in Nigeria.

Tepnyakas who is former Squadron Commander 11, Police Mobile Force Càlabar, stated that the merger of these agencies with the police can bring about effective policing for national development.

The law enforcement officer, who veered into book writing after earning a PhD from the University of Jos, averred that Nigeria can regain its lost glory if the federal government heed to this recommendation.

“The EFCC and the ICPC should be merged with the anti-fraud unit of the Nigeria Police Force and accorded same level of funding, and be commanded by Assistant Inspector of Police,” he stated.

The security operative turned author also advocated the merging of the Federal Road Safety Corp FRSC with the Traffic Warden Section of the Nigeria Police Force to make the Institution formidable.

“Instead, duplicity, conflicts and rivalries amongst these agencies have been created rendering all of them ineffective,” he said.

The author recommended the merger of NSCDC with the police because their existence runs contrary to sections 214 & 215 of the 1999 constitution as amended, which clearly states that there should be only one Nigerian police for the country.

Other areas touched include a better welfare package for the police personnel, better operational equipment concept of the Special Promotion system where officers are only promoted based on their serial numbers and not by any measurement of competence