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Tag: Coomassie

  • Idris mourns Coomassie

    The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Kpotun-Idris, has described the death of one of his predecessors, Ibrahim Coomassie, as a monumental and irreparable loss to the country.

    He said the country, Nigeria Police Force and indeed Katsina State where he hailed from, will miss his wise counsel and wealth of experience as a retired experienced Senior Police Officer.

    Idris described the former IGP as “a godly man, who has the interest of all Nigerians, particularly the police officers at heart above any other thing. He was a bridge builder, an amiable personality who is fond of his people and whose vacuum will be difficult to fill.”

  • Ex-IGP Coomassie buried in Katsina

    Former Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Ibrahim Coomassie, was buried on Friday at the Rimin-Badawa cemetery in Katsina.

    The funeral prayer which took place at 2:06 p.m. shortly after Juma’at service was led by Sheikh Samu Adam, the Chief Imam of Bin Coomassie Juma’at Mosque in Katsina, with many sympathisers, associates, friends of the deceased in attendance.

    Dignitaries at the prayers  prayer were  the Emir of  Daura, Alhaji Umar Faruq, the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumini Kabir Usman,  the Minister of Interior, Abdurrahman Dambazau,  Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris and  a prominent businessman Alhaji Samaila Isa Funtua.

    The Chief Imam prayed Almighty Allah to forgive the deceased of his sins and grant his family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

    According to the cleric, death is inevitable and can to “anyone at anytime and anywhere.”

    He urged Muslims to always fear Allah by obeying His injunctions and be prepared for death at any time.

    Coomassie died on Thursday at Amadi Rimi Orthopaedic Hospital in Katsina.

     

     

  • $2.1bn arms deal: Jonathan right to keep mum for now —Ango Abdullahi, Coomassie, SANs

    Former Presidential Special Adviser, Professor Ango Abdulahi, former Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Coomassie, two Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) – Chief Ladi Williams and Chief Niyi Akintola – say former President Goodluck Jonathan is right to be silent for now on the $2.1billion arms scandal .

    A number of  top government officials and  military officers who served under Jonathan have been indicted for swindling the nation of billions of naira originally earmarked to buy arms for the armed forces in the fight against terror sect, Boko Haram.

    The funds were allegedly disbursed by the former President’s National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd),  who said he acted under instruction from Jonathan who said during the week in Geneva, Switzerland that he could not comment on the issue for now since some of the suspects have been charged to court.

    Reacting, Professor Abdullahi, who spoke to Saturday Nation in a telephone interview, said since the EFCC had told the world that there is no documented evidence linking President Jonathan with the diversion of the $2.1bn, he (Jonathan) should be left out of the scandal.

    He said: “My recollection of that aspect of the present issue  is that the investigating body, that is, EFCC, has told the public that, as of now, they have not seen any documented evidence that links the former President to the expenditure which was intended for arms purchase, but which was allegedly diverted to other issues. All the documents they said they got are approvals which they said he gave specifically for money intended for purchase of arms for our military.

    “They said there is nothing that has connected the former President to expenditure that has appeared to be a diversion from what the money he approved was intended for. That is what they said and that is why I will advise that since the EFCC has not found any document connecting him (Jonathan) to expenditure of the $2.1bn, he should be left alone. Why should he talk?

    “I am not his spokesman, but I am saying, logically that, all these investigations on Sambo Dasuki and all those that are so far connected to the issue have been mentioned specifically by EFCC, so, maybe at a later stage, EFCC will have evidence to say that the former President is involved, but until then, he should be left alone.” Professor Ango said.

    Alhaji Ibrahim  Coomasie who is  the Chairman,Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF),   in his own reaction  said Jonathan’s decision to remain silent  “should be respected by the EFCC. But, at appropriate time, when it becomes necessary, they will contact him. So, it is not wrong for him to say he will not talk until the right time.

    “So, EFCC should give him (Jonathan) time to put his own evidence together. This is what I advise, but I know, somehow the authority investigating will get to him. So, let us fold our arms and watch the development.

    “Former President Goodluck Jonathan has the right to remain silent for now, until he is called upon by the appropriate authority.”

    Chief Ladi Williams (SAN) said: “ It was clever of the former President to have refrained from  making comments on the issue. Whatever he says would be prejudicial. Whoever advised him against it did the right thing. Aside from being prejudicial, whatever he says at the moment has the tendency of heating up the polity.”

    He, however, noted that the former President is not immune from being investigated if there are reasons for such to be done.

    “The EFCC can invite him for a chat if it has sufficient reasons to do that. They can subpoena and put him in the witness box to be a witness if there is need for that as well. In  fact, he can be prosecuted if there is substantial evidence against him.”

    Chief Niyi Akintola also applauded the former President for the decision to keep quiet on the arms scandal. He, however, took exception to his invitation by the EFCC.

    “Whatever the former president says would have great implication on the polity. If they have anything against him, they can confront him but we should respect the office he held before. Nothing stops the EFCC from inviting him but I will not advise that they do that. There is more to the matter than meets the eyes.

    “Mr President should borrow a leave from former military head of state, General Ibrahim Babangida, who took on his enemies one at a time.”

    In the same vein, the Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC) commended Jonathan for eschewing to make comments on the scandal, urging the EFCC to fish out more culprits in the  scam.

    The president of  the group, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, said: “The former president took a wise decision by choosing not to make any comment on the issue because it is still in court. That shows that he has deep respect for the judiciary.  Aside from his respect for the judiciary, the decision from our point of view is also  in the best interest of the country as whatever comment he makes on the issue is capable of aggravating the polity.

    “We, therefore, urge President Buhari and the EFCC to respect the former president’s decision and ignore pressures from every quarter to bring him into the ongoing probe. We appreciate and support President Buhari’s anti-corruption war and want to urge him and the EFCC to stop at nothing in fishing out other culprits in the scam. All those that were given a certain period of time to respond to the charges against them should be made to return to the courts to give their sides of the story.

  • Coomassie to Buhari: Probe religious organisations, others

    Coomassie to Buhari: Probe religious organisations, others

    Former Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Coomasie, yesterday backed President Muhammadu Buhari in his fight against corruption.

    Coomasie, who is the Sardaunan Katsina, urged the president to extend the crusade to religious organisations, military, police, para-military and educational institutions.

    Other areas the retired police boss wants the war against corruption extended to include human right associations and organised private sector.

    The former IGP spoke in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, at the 5th Convocation Ceremony of Al-Hikmah University.

    He said: “The bold steps taken by the administration so far are highly commendable and it is our hope that these will be extended to other strata of the society.

    “It is a fact that both Islam and Christianity abhor corruption under whatever guise.

    “Therefore, it is the duty of every Nigerian to support the initiatives of the present administration so that the common wealth of Nigerian could be judiciously harnessed for the benefit of all citizens.”

    Coomasie, who doubles as the Pro-Chancellor of Al-Hikmah University, appealed to the federal government to offer financial assistance to private tertiary institutions.

  • Boko Haram menace subsiding – Coomassie

    Boko Haram menace subsiding – Coomassie

    A former Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Ibrahim Coomassie, has said that government’s efforts at tackling the Boko Haram is yielding desired result as the menace of the sect is subsiding.

    Coomassie made the observation on Tuesday in an interview with journalists shortly after the inauguration of the renovated Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) building complex.

    He called on Nigerians to play their part by providing the police and other security agencies with relevant information to enable them to get rid of the sect.

    “You can see that the Boko Haram menace has now subsided.

    “The Federal Government is now active and doing a lot of work to get rid of these people (sect members).

    “With more intelligence and effective cooperation, we will return to the status quo where we have peaceful coexistence in this country.

    “But, it is the job of all of us, if you have information, authentic intelligence information, pass to the police and other security agencies,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the former IGP as saying during the chat.

    He urged government to continue to provide the police with the wherewithal including training and retraining them to do their job and make the nation safer and secured.