Mike Mbama Okiro

Mike Mbama Okiro
Inspector General of the Nigerian Police
In office 2007 – 2009
Preceded by	Sunday Ehindero
Succeeded by	Ogbonna Okechukwu Onovo
Personal details
Born	July 24, 1949(1949-07-24) Oguta, Imo State
Nationality	Nigerian
Alma mater	University of Jos
Occupation	Police Officer, Lawyer

Sir Mike Mbama Okiro was the Inspector General of the Nigeria Police Force from 2007 - 2009.^[1]

Background

Mike Okiro was born on July 24, 1949 in Oguta, Imo State. He is the Agunechemba I of Egbema, and Nigeria's first ethnic Igbo to assume the post of police Inspector General.^[1] 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.^[2]

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.^[2] In June 2009, Okiro released a book titled "Policing Nigeria in a Democracy".^[3]

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.^[4] 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".^[5]

In August 2008, Okiro demoted 140 senior police officers including the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nuhu Ribadu.^[6] 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.^[7] In February 2009 he stated that banks neglected security in their branches because they had insurance coverage.^[8]

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.^[9] 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.^[10]

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.^[11]

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.^[12] 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.^[13]

On his retirement at age 60 in July 2009, President Yar'Adua congratulated him on his achievements while in office.^[14]

Post-retirement

Shortly before his retirement in July 2009, the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) accused Mike Okiro of failing to repay a N166 million loan he obtained between 2000 and 2001 from the Lead Bank, since liquidated.^[15] 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.^[16] Okiro threatened court action against the NDIC unless it tendered an unreserved apology, but the NDIC maintained their position.^[17]

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."^[18]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Mike Okiro - The Man And The Misplaced Logic". Nigerians In America. 06/11/2007. http://www.nigeriansinamerica.com/articles/1847/1/Mike-Okiro---The-Man-And-The-Misplaced-Logic/Page1.html. Retrieved 2009-09-26. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "Guest Speakers". Negotiation and Conflict Management Group. http://www.ncmggroup.org/paspeakers.aspx#2. Retrieved 2009-09-26. ^{[dead link]}
3. ^ "Okiro's Book Launch Nets N60 Million". This Day. 26 June 2009. http://allafrica.com/stories/200906260578.html. Retrieved 2009-09-26. 
4. ^ "IGP Mike Okiro and the way forward for the Nigeria Police". Daily Sun. April 28, 2008. http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/features/freekick/2008/apr/28/freekick-28-04-2008-003.htm. Retrieved 2009-09-26. 
5. ^ "Nigeria: Investigate Widespread Killings by Police". Human Rights Watch. November 18, 2007. http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2007/11/17/nigeria-investigate-widespread-killings-police. 
6. ^ "Police demotion: The need to demote both Shehu Musa Yar'Adua and Mike Okiro". MyNaijaNews. 11 August 2008. http://www.mynaijanews.com/content/view/2017/138/. Retrieved 2009-09-26. 
7. ^ "Nigeria: Responsibility of the Press, By Mike Okiro". Daily Sun. 1 October 2008. http://allafrica.com/stories/200810010324.html. Retrieved 2009-09-26. 
8. ^ "Why banks allow robbers to steal their money - Okiro". Punch. February 3, 2009. http://odili.net/news/source/2009/feb/3/400.html. Retrieved 2009-09-26. ^{[dead link]}
9. ^ "Uncertainty over Tafa Balogun’s loot". The News Planetario. May 24th, 2009. http://www.newsplanetario.com/?p=173. Retrieved 2009-09-27. 
10. ^ "Tafa, Okiro, Waziri to Face House C’ttee". Office of the Speaker, House of Representatives. Apr.24.2009. http://www.speakersoffice.gov.ng/news_apr_24_09_1.htm. Retrieved 2009-09-27. 
11. ^ "IG Mike Okiro Declares 74 Year Old, Ekiti Resident Electoral Commmissioner, Mrs. Ayoka Adebayo, Wanted…". My Nigeria. April 28th, 2009. http://www.my-nigeria.com/2009/04/28/ig-mike-okiro-declares-74-year-old-ekiti-resident-electoral-commmissioner-mrs-ayoka-adebayo-wanted/. Retrieved 2009-09-26. 
12. ^ PATRICK SMITH AND LUCY KOMISAR (25 MAY 2009). "Halliburton & Nigeria’s missing millions". Business Day. http://www.businessdayonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2862:halliburton-a-nigerias-missing-millions-&catid=117:news&Itemid=349. Retrieved 2009-11-24. 
13. ^ "Key suspect flees, Okiro gets Monday deadline". Vanguard. Jul 17, 2009. http://www.vanguardngr.com/2009/07/17/key-suspect-flees-okiro-gets-monday-deadline/. Retrieved 2009-09-26. 
14. ^ "President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua Commends Sir Mike Mbama Okiro". Nigeria Police. 27 July 2009. http://www.nigeriapolice.org/headlines-mainmenu-47/97.html. Retrieved 2009-09-26. ^{[dead link]}
15. ^ "Okiro owes failed bank N166m - NDIC - It’s a personal deal - Police - Reps summon him". Nigerian Tribune. July 23, 2009. http://odili.net/news/source/2009/jul/23/603.html. Retrieved 2009-09-26. ^{[dead link]}
16. ^ "FORMER POLICE INSPECTOR GENERAL MIKE OKIRO'S DEBT TO LEAD BANK". NigeriaWorld. July 24, 2009. http://nigeriaworld.com/feature/publication/babsajayi/072409.html. 
17. ^ "Okiro, NDIC row deepens". Nigeria Daily News. July 30, 2009. http://ndn.nigeriadailynews.com/templates/?a=19266. Retrieved 2009-09-26. 
18. ^ "Okiro Pulled Out as IGP, Decries Society Dehumanization of Police Officers". Vanguard. 28 August 2009. http://allafrica.com/stories/200908280986.html. Retrieved 2009-09-26. 

Persondata
Name	Okiro, Mike Mbama
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1949-07-24
Place of birth	Oguta, Imo State
Date of death
Place of death