President Muhammadu Buhari should live up to his constitutional responsibilities and demonstrate commitment to genuinely fight corruption in the country.

This is by supporting efforts to get to the roots of the grave allegations against the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris and the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Mike Okiro and to ensure they are appropriately sanctioned in accordance with the law if they are found culpable.

According to key civil society organisations spread across Nigeria, the failure of the Federal Government to address the serious allegations of grand corruption made by Senator Isa Misau, representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District is damaging to morale and discipline in the police and make his anti-corruption agenda questionable.

In the past three months, through interviews in the media and on the floor of the Senate, Misau had consistently accused the police of grand corruption, abuse of office and predatory sexual misconduct against serving female officers of the Nigeria Police.

He had also accused the Chairman of the Police Service Commission of complicity in the corruption and irregularities surrounding police promotion, accused both Idris and Okiro of deviating from the guidelines for police promotion, discarding the requirements of merit and equity in favour of nepotism, favouritism and bribery.

In response, Idris claimed that Misau, a former Police Officer, deserted from the police and forged documents related to his disengagement from the Force, but the Commission in September confirmed that the Senator’s retirement letter was regular.

The Senate has, nevertheless, established ad-hoc committees to investigate Misau’s allegations and the counter-allegations from the police.

According to the groups, the failure of the President to address the allegations has grave implications for public safety and security as disgruntled police officers are predisposed to taking out their frustrations on fellow citizens becoming predators rather than protectors and undermining national security.

The groups includes; NOPRIN Foundation, Spaces for Change, Public Interest Lawyers League, Confluence of Rights, Civil Liberties Organisation, Centre for Social Justice, Centre for Transparency Advocacy, Civil Society Network Against Corruption, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, Center for Citizens With Disability, International Human Rights and Equity Defence Foundation, Movement Against Corruption, Media Initiative Against Injustice, Violence and Corruption, Right to Education Project, Human Rights Activist, Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice, Proactive Gender Initiatives, Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, Human Rights Social Development and Environmental Foundation and Alliance for Credible Elections.