The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ibrahim Idris

  • Police insist on investigating Kashamu for alleged assassination attempt

    Police insist on investigating Kashamu for alleged assassination attempt

    The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris has insisted on the investigation of Senator Buruji Kashamu (Ogun East) over his alleged involvement in the attempted assassination of a House of Representatives member from the state, Oladipupo Adebutu.

    Idris said Kashamu was also required by the police to substantiate his counter-allegations against Adebutu (in Kashamu’s counter-petition to the police) that he (Adebutu) was instigating the police to, among others, arrest him (Kashamu) and transport him to the United States of America.

    These were contained in a counter affidavit and written address the IGP filed in response to a fundamental rights enforcement suit instituted by Kashamu before the Federal High Court, Abuja.

    Kashamu is praying the court to, among others, restrain the IGP, the Director General of the State Security Services (who are listed as 1st and 2nd respondents) from arresting him.

    Idris urged the court to dismiss the suit on the grounds that it was intended to frustrate police’s investigation into allegations and counter-allegations contained in the petitions by Adebutu(, representing Ikenne, Sagamu and Remo North Federal Constituency in Ogun State) and Kashamu.

    He urged the court not to allow itself to be used by Kashamu to hinder the police in the performance of its statutory duties of investigating allegations of criminal conduct and protection of citizens’ lives and property.

    Adebutu had, in his petition dated August 22, alleged among others, that Kashamu, who belonged to an opposing faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, led some 50 thugs to attack him and almost killed him a night before the botched national convention of the PDP in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State.

    Kashamu, in his counter-petition, dated August 26 denied Adebutu’s allegation, accusing him of being encouraged in his acts by some chieftains of the PDP in the South West.

    He accused Adebutu of working with the police and DSS to abduct him and ship him to the US unlawfully.

    Idris said: “This court cannot assume the criminal investigative power of the police to investigate the allegations made against each other in exhibits P1 and P2 (the petitions by Adebutu and Kashamu to the police).

    “It is after the police have performed this role that the court will be called upon to adjudicate on the matter,” the IGP said in his written address to the counter-affidavit.

    An Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Sunday Adams, attached to the police’s Special Investigation Panel (SIP) said the IGP has referred the petitions to his panel and that they were planning to invite Kashamu and Adebutu.

    Adams, who deposed to a supporting affidavit to the IGP’s counter-affidavit, stated that “the SIP, for the purpose   of investigation, will invite the applicant (Kashamu) and the 3rd respondent (Adebutu), who are both complainants to determine the veracity of their allegations made against each other.”

  • Eid-el-Kabir: IGP orders massive deployment of policemen

    A massive deployment of policemen is underway across the nation ahead of the Eid-el-Kabir.

    The Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, ordered the deployment to ensure a hitch-free Sallah, according to Force Spokesman, Don Awunah.

    Assistant Inspectors-General  in charge of zonal commands were directed to deploy adequate personnel to praying grounds and  recreation centres, among others, while police commanders are  to collaborate with sister agencies and community leaders to monitor activities of “undesirable elements”  in the society.

    He said the Police Mobile Force, Counter Terrorism Units, Explosive Ordinance Department, criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department would also be deployed.

    Awunah said sustained surveillance and special attention would be paid to flash and vulnerable points among others during the Sallah celebration and beyond.

    “The Nigeria Police Force is confident that the operational strategies being executed for the Sallah festivities will guarantee a peaceful and hitch free Eid-El-Kabir celebration,” he said.

  • Ezekwesili to IGP: Nobody can threaten BBOG group

    Ezekwesili to IGP: Nobody can threaten BBOG group

    Leader of the #BringBackOurGirls (#BBOG) advocacy, Oby Ezekwesili, on Thursday said nobody can threaten members of the group since they are bonafide citizens of the country.

    Ezekwesili, who said they are guaranteed their rights by the constitution, advised the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to educate himself properly about democracy and citizens’ right to peaceful assembly.

    She also said the previous administration used similar tactics to violate their rights, but those (rights) were upheld by the constitution and court.

    Speaking at the group’s gathering in Abuja, Ezekwesili said, “our response is that he (IGP) should ask for the file that recorded our advocacy between 2014 and 2015 when the previous administration used all kinds of tactics similar to this one to try to violate our constitutional liberty. Not only did the constitution uphold that right, the court also upheld our rights. He should just read this files, he should be able to find what he needs in order to educate himself properly about democracy and citizens’ right to peaceful assembly.

    “We are a peaceful movement as everyone knows, so we are not changing anything, no retreat, no surrender. Are our girls back? If the government says that we are unreasonable in demanding for our Chibok girls in the way that we have been demanding for them since 2014, they need to show the evidence that counters our stance.”

     

  • IGP to BBOG campaigners: Enough is enough

    IGP to BBOG campaigners: Enough is enough

    The Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, on Wednesday cautioned the #BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) group on its campaign, saying “enough is enough.”

    The IGP noted that group’s protest in recent time posed threat to public peace and order.

    He argued that procession is usually organized to draw attention to a particular issue, adding that the group’s aim has already been achieved.

    Idris spoke when the National President of the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS), Gloria Shoda and other members of the Council executive visited him in Abuja.

    He said: “The police management is aware of the agitation and the plight of parents of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls and other civil groups. As parents ourselves, we sympathize with them in these trying moments.

    “Evidently, the government has invested huge resources in ensuring that the girls are rescued and re-united with their various families.

    “However, the activities of the BringBackOurGirls group in Abuja, the nation’s capital recently, are becoming worrisome and threat to public peace and order.

    “#BringBackOurGirls protagonists must understand that in the exercise of their rights, they must not trample on other peoples’ rights through over-dramatization of emotions, self-serving propaganda and disrespect of public (office) holders.

    “The police will not sit on the fence and watch such a scenario unfold. The rights of law-abiding citizens must be protected within the context of the law and we believe that enough is enough.”

     

     

  • 23,000 policemen for Edo polls

    23,000 policemen for Edo polls

    Nigeria’s acting-Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has said that a total of 23,000 policemen would be deployed to provide security for the September 10 Edo state governorship election.

    Idris said 54 coastal buses will be made available to take the policemen to their various beats during the election.

    He said the Edo election would be a test case for the ability of security agencies to provide adequate security.

    The Ag-IGP who was represented by the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Operations, Joshak Habila, stated this while addressing officers and men of the AIG Zone 5 and Edo State Police Command.

    Joshak said he was sent to review the template put on ground in preparedness the conduct of the governorship election.

    He disclosed that 1,152 hilux vans have been sourced from across the country to ensure proper patrol of policemen across run state.

    The DIG Operations said armed tactical team would be stationed few meters from some polling units because of the law barring holding of firearms at polling units by security operatives.

    Joshak stated that more policemen would be deployed to areas identified as flash points especially in the riverine areas.

    His words, “The IG is very passionate about the success of this election. You must be apolitical. The success of this election depends on you. Do not allow anything to deceive you to do the right thing.

    “Patrol vehicles will be placed as such that response will be swift. Whosever causes trouble will be dealt with according to the law”.

    The AIG in charge of Zone 5, Kolawole Sodipo, assured that the election would be successful and would be a reference point for other elections.

    State Commissioner of Police, Chris Ezike, said everything required to ensure a successful election has been put in place.

  • Kidnapping: IGP deploys 510 policemen to Abuja-Kaduna highway

    Following repeated cases of kidnapping, armed robbery and other forms of crime along the Abuja-Kaduna highway, the Acting Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has deployed 510 mobile police personnel to patrol the road.

    The IGP also directed his men to cut off the hands of any criminal element aiming gun at innocent citizens and officers of the Nigeria Police Force.

    Flagging off the operation “Operation Maximum Safety on Kaduna-Abuja Highway,” the IGP said the operation will end all forms of security threat witnessed on the highway.

    To ensure the success of the operation, 40 patrol vehicles, Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) and other equipment have been handed over to policemen.

    Speaking in Katari, Kaduna State, during the flag off of the operation, the IGP who was represented by the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Operations, Habila Joshak, said, “The IGP and the government have been worried and we are here today with this equipment to ensure that this operation is effective and an end is put to criminal activities.

    “This is to demonstrate that the insecurity that we have been noticing with desperation of criminals that would organise themselves as marauding armed bearers, who stop and harm innocent citizens using this road, is put to a stop.

    “Never again shall we allow any citizen using weapons along Abuja and Kaduna and any other axis that connects to this road to harass law abiding citizens. We want to make sure that people enter their homes at whatever time they please without fear or favour. We want to guarantee safety of the road users and we have the capacity to do that because our responsibility is to ensure that lives and properties of citizens of this country are safe.”

     

  • Security forces to demolish illegal structures at Arepo, Ikorodu creeks

    Security forces to demolish illegal structures at Arepo, Ikorodu creeks

    • As military moves to establish permanent base at Maiduguri

    Security forces Thursday identified uncompleted structures and houses built on the right of way, isolated bushes at Lagos and Ogun riverine communities as threats that must be dismantled.

    This is just as the acting Inspector General of Police  (IGP) Ibrahim Idris told the ground forces to demolish houses belonging to militants or their conspirators as was exhibited in the northeast during the fight against terrorist sect Boko Haram.

    The ground forces have been mopping up the creeks since Tuesday afternoon after the Nigerian Air Force concluded its aerial bombardment of the identified places.

    The Nation reports that over 40 camps have been destroyed at Ishawo creek alone, while the operatives have recovered items such as two locally made guns, two generators, eight dane guns, 32 live cartridges, two laptops, one magazine, AK47, a magazine of GPMG.

    Also recovered were handcuffs, 18 cutlasses, two Mobile Police badges, two Ecobank withdrawal booklets, INEC voter’s cards and FCMB deposit slips, among others.

    Idris who was at Ishawo to observe the situation of things for himself, commended the military for the successes recorded under Operation AWATSE.

    He urged fleeing residents to return and cooperate with security forces by providing information, just as he assured them of their safety and peace.

    “We are here to see the theatre of war, as well as support our officers. To boost their morale so that they can do more than what they have done. I have been in Lagos and I have heard so much and it is our responsibility to assist the men on the operation they are doing.

    “Especially in the area of deploying most of our marine police here, which we are going to do and to also encourage the residents of the local community.

    “We are here together; you can see police, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) as well as the military. So, it is an indication that the police is everywhere.

    “As I discussed without officers on the ground, anybody having connection with enemies of the society, we will demolish their housed.  That was the practice we adopted in fighting Boko Haram elements.”

    Similarly, the Operation’s chairman, Rear Admiral Fergusson Bobai who took a tour of Ishawo, Elepete, Arepo and Ibafo creeks hinted of plans by the military to establish permanent base at Majidun, Ikorodu, while outposts will be mounted in other troubled communities to deter the gunmen from returning.

    He stated that the inaccessibility of the affected areas as well as the absence of security agencies emboldened the militants to carry out their criminal activities with impunity.

    Bobai also noted the need for the government to approve the demolition of structures built on the Nigerian National Petroleum Company’s (NNPC) right of way, insisting that they posed hindrances to security operations.

    Confirming that the militants have been completely chased from the areas visited, Bobai that the military was working towards running them out of Fatola, their supposed headquarters.

    “We are looking forward to the government building permanent structures for us at Majidun as the headquarters for Operation AWATSE and then we will have our outposts where men are deployed.

    “We have started ground operations after the NAF has finished its air bombardment. However, the Air Force is still providing support to the ground forces. We have essentially identified four targets and have finished mopping up one of them. I came here to see how far they have gone. They will move into other places and do the mop up with the forces on ground.

    “We came here because it is one of the in routes from where militants ply their trade. We could not come by water from Majidun where we disembarked from our boats because our boats could not enter here. Ishawo is where we have access to launch our smaller boats for our men to penetrate the creeks.

    “Pipeline vandals and militants have been engaging in illegal economic activities here and also disturbing the residents and so, we needed to flush them out following directives from the Chief of Defence Staff. They are Nigerians but engaged in illegal activities.

    “We have made a lot of success since last Thursday. We still can’t say the number of persons killed because we are yet to get into the areas that were properly bombarded.

    At Elepete, Bobai said there was a lot of bombardment at the creek there because from air surveillance, the security forces observed that the place was a safe haven for militants’ operations.
    The Nation observed that scores of 50 litres jerry cans littered the water which has been polluted with petro.

    Also, hosts, pumping machines and wooden boats stocked with kegs were also sighted.
    The commanding officer of the military tactical base, Colonel Julius Ogbobe who gave statistics of the recoveries said investigations were being carried out to ascertain certain things.

    He said: “We want to find out the depositor and the owners of the phone numbers. The swamps are not easily accessible. The government has to assist by building roads as well as bringing cutting machines to clear the creeks.”

  • I didn’t go away with 24 vehicles – Arase

    I didn’t go away with 24 vehicles – Arase

     

     

    ‎Retired Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase has described as false, the report accusing him of stealing 24 police vehicles when he left office.

    Arase who reacted through a statement from London, where he is for his son’s graduation said every information needed by his successor on vehicles bought by the police is contained in the handover notes.

    The statement reads in part: “I suspect there must be a disconnect somewhere because every information needed by my successor are provided in my hand-over notes.”
    He also denied the allegation that the Ag. IGP, Ibrahim Idris sent him a letter concerning the car.

    According to him: “I am also not aware that any letter was written to me because if there was any dropped in my house, someone would have alerted me.

    “It’s unfortunate that this matter is being made a media issue because my successor has my telephone number and could have called me for any clarification or even sent me a text message rather than addressing the media on an issue well documented in my hand-over notes”.

    He further explained that all vehicles bought by the police under him were distributed to the state commands and other appropriate units of the Nigeria Police Force.

    Arase however promised to address the issues when he arrives Nigeria.

    The Acting Inspector General of Police, (IGP), Ibrahim Idris had on Sunday said that Arase went away with 24 police vehicles after his retirement.

    Idris also claimed that he wrote Arase to return the cars, which included two official bullet-proof BMW 7 series cars.

     

  • Police to correct disparity in promotion exercise – Idris

    The acting Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, said on Friday that the police would soon review cases of its personnel eyeing elevation to new ranks.

    Idris said this at an interactive session with journalists in Minna after paying a courtesy visit on Governor Abubakar Bello of Niger.

    “The cases of police personnel approved for further education and who obtained additional qualification will be reviewed so that those entitled for promotion will be promoted.

    “In looking into their cases we will follow the rule of law or the Police Service Regulation.

    “We are going to revisit it, if there is anybody that was due for promotion and has not been promoted we will do so.

    “If the law or regulation says a personnel will be promoted after serving for certain period we will do that.

    “We will revisit it and if there was any miscarriage of justice we will correct it,” the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted the acting IGP as saying to journalists.

    Idris also said the police would do everything possible to ensure security of lives and property within the country.

    “In a few days, you will see what we are going to do in terms of strengthening security.

    “We are going to work side by side with the public to tackle crime in our society,’’ he added.

    Also speaking at the forum, Bello said the state government would partner the police to ensure security of lives and property in the state.

    “We need your support in terms of security of lives and property in our state,” the governor told journalists.

     

  • ‎Kidnapped Sierra Leonean envoy regains freedom

    ‎Kidnapped Sierra Leonean envoy regains freedom

    The Deputy High Commissioner of Sierra Leone to Nigeria, Maj. Gen. Alfred William who was kidnapped along Abuja- Kaduna road  has regained his freedom.

    The envoy was kidnapped on the 1st of July while travelling to Kaduna State for a military passing out parade.

    The police said his release was made possible following credible intelligence and technical support which included intense police activities on both land and air patrol within the area.

    “This is contained in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday by the Force Spokesperson, Don Awunah.

    The statement noted that the envoy was released around 4pm on Tuesday and has been  reunited with the High Commission and his family.

    The statement read: “He was released at about 1600 of 5th July along Abuja – Kaduna road.

    The General is also said to  be in good good condition.

    The Acting Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris however assured   members of the diplomatic Corp and other nationals in Nigeria  of their safety and security.