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Tag: Idris

  • Arase out, Idris in as Police chief

    Arase out, Idris in as Police chief

    As Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Solomon Ehigiator Arase attained the retirement age yesterday and bowed out of service. Assistant Editor GBADE OGUNWALE and Correspondent FAITH YAHAYA review his 13-month tenure and submit that the Edo State-born officer did his best.

    Solomon Ehigiator Arase retired yesterday as the Inspector-General of Police (IGP). He is one of the few police chiefs who served out their tenure without blemish.

    Arase, who was appointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan on April 21, last year, replaced Mr. Suleiman Abba when the latter fell out with the Jonathan presidency.

    He was inherited and retained by President Muhammadu Buhari who assumed the presidency on May 29, last year. Arguably, Arase could be said to have enjoyed a smooth tenure under the Buhari presidency. With a background in police intelligence and a good measure of horse sense, the cop successfully navigated his way through his 13-month tenure unscathed.

    Upon resumption he was confronted with the task of securing the governorship elections in Imo, Abia and Taraba states, which were declared inconclusive at first ballot. The general impression was that the police under his watch successfully executed the task in the three states. Added to that was the first ballot and the subsequent supplementary poll in Kogi State, which he also superintended.

    The crack team of detectives that he assembled was able to arrest the abductors of a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation Chief Olu Falae, who was abducted on his farm by some herdsmen in September last year. Similarly, the police under his watch also apprehended the killers of an Army Col. Samaila Yunusa in Kaduna. His team also rescued the three female students abducted by gunmen from their dormitory in Babington Macauley Junior Secondary School in Ikorodu, a Lagos suburb.  The girls were reunited with their parents and their abductors apprehended.

    The team also arrested members of robbery gang who raided commercial banks on the island, Ikorodu and Festac Town. His men also apprehended the herdsmen who attacked and killed some villagers in Nimbo community, Enugu State. Under Arase’s watch, the police apprehended the killers of Mrs. Bridget Agbahime, who was beaten and stoned to death by some religious bigots in Kano for “blaspheming” Prophet Mohammed.

    He ensured the establishment of a Complaint Response Unit (CRU) in the Police Force. The unit is a police ombudsman, which conducts 24-hour monitoring of cases of impunity and misconduct by police personnel in the line of duty. Monitoring activities by the CRU led to the investigation, sanctioning and dismissal of some policemen, including senior officers for misconduct.

    Shortly after taking the baton of leadership, Arase ordered the dismantling of police roadblocks nationwide. In his efforts to tackle the acute residential accommodation problem bedeviling the Force, he initiated a number of housing schemes for the officer cadre and the rank and file across the country.

    He has to his credit the introduction of safer highway patrol, scholarship schemes for officers’ children in police schools. Some training initiatives for capacity building for police personnel were also undertaken by the Arase-led police.

    Among the schemes were special training in counter-terrorism, special protection, manpower development, rebranding of the Special Anti-Robbery Unit and the creation of the police central information unit.

    However, much as he tried, Arase is bequeathing to his successor, Ibrahim Kpotun Idris some of the problems he inherited. For instance, most of the existing barracks have not been refurbished, with redeployed officers and men having to make do with available spaces in abandoned vehicles, disused stalls and other inconveniences while in transit.

    On arrival at their new duty posts, many are forced to take accommodation overnight in available corners around the formations, after the day’s work. Their personal effects litter disused and abandoned shelves and cupboards indiscriminately.

    They rise very early in the morning to freshen up for the day’s routine.

    Across the land, it is the same vicious circle of homelessness confronting police personnel, particularly the rank and file.

     

     

    If confirmed eventually as the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Kpotun Idris will be the 19 indigenous police chief. Solomon Ehigiator Arase bowed out yesterday on his 60th birthday. He retired on his attainment of the retirement age as the 18th IGP.

     

    Louis Edet (1964-1966)

     

    Louis Edet, the first indigenous police chief, who took the mantle in 1964 from the British colonial masters, was born in Calabar in 1914, the year the British colonial masters amalgamated the southern and northern protectorate into what is today known as Nigeria. Besides his birth coinciding with such a significant date, He made history as an officer, who charted a course for the Police Force through the thorny path of the young republic. He retired in 1966.

     

    Kam Salem (1966-1975)

     

    As the second indigenous police chief, Kam Salem was the IGP from 1966 to 1975. He took the force who took over the leadership of the police through a difficult phase in the annals of the nation from 1967 and 1970, when Nigeria went through the unforgettable civil war.

     

    Muhammed Dikko

    Yusuf (1975- 1979)

     

    The Katsina-born Muhammed Dikko Yusuf (popularly known as M.D Yusuf), held the forte as the IGP during the period of national reconstruction from 1975 to 1999.  He served under the administrations of the late Gen. Murtala Mohammed Olusegun Obasanjo. He was chaired the pan-North’s socio-political group – Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF). He also joined partisan politics and formed the Movement for Democracy and Justice (MDJ), under which he contested for president in 2003.

     

     Adamu Suleiman

    (1979-1981)

     

    Apart from the fact that he took over from Yusuf in 1999 and handed over to Sunday Adewusi (now late) in 1981 under the Presidency of Alhaji Shehu Shagari, not much is known about Suleiman’s tenure as IGP.

     

    Sunday Adewusi (1981-1983)

     

    The Ogbomoso-born Sunday Adewusi (now late), held sway from 1981 to 1983 when the infamous “two thirds of 19 states” political arithmetic truncated the Second Republic. He had a reputation of being  an IG who ran a force that succumbed to the whims and caprices of the then ruling party.

     

    Etim Inyang (1985-1986)

     

    A Street is named after the Akwa Ibom-born Etim Nyang in highbrow Victoria Island, Lagos. Inyang held the forte under the regime of self-styled military President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida. During his reign as the police chief, the crime rate rose and high-profile armed robbery incidents were the order of the day. It was under him that the dreaded Benin-based armed robbery gang of Lawrence Anini operated freely. The gang terrorised the police and other citizens on Benin/Asaba axis of the defunct Bendel State.

     

    Muhammadu

    Gambo-Jimeta (1986- 1990)

     

    Muhammadu Gambo Jimeta effected the arrest of Anini and his gang members. Though he distinguished himself as Lagos Police Commissioner, Jimeta was accused of stoking ethnic controversies during his tenure as IGP.

     

    Aliyu Attah (1990-1993)

     

    Aliyu Attah took over from Gambo in 1990. Not much is attributed to His tenure was overshadowed by the euphoria of his predecessor’s modest achievement of arresting Anini and his gang members.

     

    Ibrahim Coomassie

    (1993-1999)

     

    Ibrahim Coomassie, who took over from Attah in 1993, had his professional education at the Detective Training College, Wakefield, United Kingdom (UK) and in Washington DC, United States (U.S.). His era under the administrations of military Head of State, the late Gen. Sani Abacha and Gen. Abubakar Abdulsalami, was punctuated by alleged state-sponsored detentions and murders, including that of Chief Alfred Rewane, Alhaja Kudirat Abiola and the acclaimed winner of the annulled 1993 presidential election, Chief Moshood Abiola. The late Abiola was believed to have been arrested by the police without a warrant.

     

    Musiliu Smith (1999-2002)

     

    Musiliu Smith, who joined the Force in 1972 as an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Enugu Division, was born on April 17, 1946. Smith.  The Lagos State-born Smith earned a Masters degree in Strategic Studies from the University of Ibadan in 1997 and he rose to become an Assistant Inspector-General (AIG) of Police in charge of zonal headquarters, Kano. He was co-opted into Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar’s Provisional Ruling Council in 1998. His tenure made history as the one that recorded the first revolt by the rank and file of the force, a development that forced him to proceed on compulsory retirement under the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo.

     

    Mustafa Adebayo

    Balogun (2002- 2005)

     

    Mustafa Adebayo Balogun (popularly called Tafa Balogun), took over from Smith on March 6, 2002 as the 11th IGP. His mandate was restore and instill discipline within the rank and file of the Force. Born on August 8, 1947 in Ila- Orogun, Osun State, Balogun was enlisted into the force in May 1973. He was variously commissioner of police in Edo, Delta, Rivers and Abia states and also headed the Zone 1, Kano as AIG. He led a force accused of partisanship during the flawed 2003 general elections. Incidents of press muzzling gagging and brutality against journalists were also rife under him.  He, however, had to his credit the unravelling of the then dreaded Okija Shrine in Anambra State. Politicians routinely re-fuel allegiance to godfathers at the expense of the public. Balogun’s reputation as the first Mobile Cop to lead the Force aided his performance.  He also left a legacy as the first IGP to be arrested, arraigned, and incarcerated for corruption charges ranging from theft to illegal acquisition of confiscated properties seized from politicians by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He was forced to resign in January 2005.

     

    Sunday Ehindero

    (2005-2007)

     

    Ondo State-born Sunday Ehindero was saddled with the herculean task of laundering the battered image of the Force following Balogun’s disgraceful exit. A Law graduate from the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, Ehindero sponsored a bill in the National Assembly for the removal of gender bias that was then prevalent then in the Force in February 2006. He accused his immediate predecessor of recruiting “dirty cops” into the Force. He was said to have recommended the unpopular promotion of former EFCC chair, Nuhu Ribadu, from commissioner of police to AIG. Ehindero, who retired in 2007 faced several probes thereafter regarding a N21 million fraud, diversion of N2.5 billion of police cooperative money and another N300 million police fund.

     

    Mike Mbama Okiro

    (2007-2009)

     

    Born in Rivers State, Mike Okiro took over from Ehindero in 2009. He was appointed by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua. He enlisted in the Force on August 1, 1977 as an ASP. He enjoyed a double promotion from Commissioner of Police to Deputy Inspector-General (DIG). Shortly after being appointed, Okiro reinstated several officers who were forced into early retirement and headed the inter-agency panel to investigate the $190 million Halliburton scam, indicting KBR, a Halliburton subsidiary, of bribing Federal Government officials to curry construction contracts from the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG). Okiro, who took a bow in July 2009 when he turned 60,  got a rare commendation from President Yar’Adua on his achievements while in office. He is currently the Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC).

     

    Ogbonnaya

    Okechukwu Onovo

     

    Ogbonnaya Okechukwu Onovo, who hails from Enugu State, succeeded Okiro in July 2007 as the first Igbo to become IGP. He had tasted the position – in an acting capacity though – before Okiro’s appointment. Between 1998 and 2000, he presided over the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) as chairman and was promoted to DIG on March 14, 2002 having served three IGs, Balogun, Ehindero and Okiro in that role. Onovo’s tenure was characterised by a prevalence of kidnappings for ransoms. His perceived inability to checkmate kidnappings and killings, especially in the East, where he comes from, allegedly led to his exit before attaining the mandatory retirement age.

     

  • AGF pledges reforms as Idris meets World Bank team

    AGF pledges reforms as Idris meets World Bank team

    The Accountant General of the Federation, Alhaji Ahmed Idris has pledged to continue with  reforms to improve public financial management.

    Idris gave this assurance when he met with the Budget Support Mission from the World Bank at the Treasury House in Abuja, to discuss the implementation of the 2016 Budget.

    A statement by the Deputy Director (Press), Mrs. K.N. Offie, said Idris described the World Bank as a partner, whose role in promoting sound economic and fiscal policies was unparalleled.

    Idris said the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, being on the driver of reforms in public financial management, had made progress in implementation.

    He said the transition from IPSAS cash basis to IPSAS Accrual basis from January 2016, Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS),  including central personal cost monitoring, had led to reduced cost of personnel.

    The AGF also cited success in Government Integrated Financial Management Information System, (GIFMIS), which is a platform for e-payment and e-Collection as well as the Treasury Single Account Implementation.

    Idris  said  the reforms were necessary to bring the country at par with acceptable global best practices.

  • ‘We have lost faith in Idris’

    ‘We have lost faith in Idris’

    The four LASU teachers, Mr  Sunday Afobunor, Mr Ayodele Asokere , Dr  Rasaq Olowu and Dr Olawale Olateju, who are behind the LASU-ASUU faction, say Idris-lhas lost focus.  They are seeking the national ASUU’s intervention.

    Mr Ayodele Asokere (speaking)

    Why are you suspending the Idris-led executive?

    After a very thoughtful deliberation, we concluded that the past executives displayed gross incapability to hold the union as one leading to disunity. Therefore, an investigation panel comprising five eminent scholars has been set up to probe Idris-led executive and report back to the congress within 14 days. The entire public is hereby notified of the Idris’ suspension including his executives.  Therefore, they should cease to parade themselves as members of ASUU with immediate effect. Finally, an interim executive led by my humble self is to stepping into the union, until a properly constituted executive is put in place.

    Have you communicated your decision to management?

    There were many decisions made at the congress, and part of it was that all the decisions made be communicated to all relevant bodies, including LASU management. We have also reached out to ASUU National and the Lagos zone. We also took decisions in respect of the check-off dues and actions are being taken in accordance with the decisions made.

    You said the Idris-led executives did not carry the union along. In what areas specifically were members kept in the dark?

    Generally, apart from training, there are individual traits and there is what we call leadership style. Adekunle Idris had grossly displayed that he lacked the capability and willingness to hold his subjects together and an ability to harmonise various views as an ingredient for successful leadership. This has led to various crises and divisions that had been identified in ASUU-LASU and we thought that this trend must be arrested otherwise most, if not all of us, will lose what we have laboured for all these years.

    You claim to be on a rescue mission.  But don’t you think in trying to solve a problem, you are creating another?

    Dr Olateju Olawale (speaking)

    The entire problem started during the last strike action. We had a national strike; we had some internal problem with the students that had to do with the closure of portal. Shortly after then ASUU-LASU declared another strike action. Some of us felt that the strike was getting too much that we needed some level of stability in LASU and that was where the problem started. Some members felt whatever problems we had with the management, we should develop other means to handle them. So we said no to strike.  That was why some members were suspended because we want stability in LASU and that is what we stand for and that is what we fight for. We don’t want any more strike in LASU.

    But did you not consider the fact that ASUU-LASU was fighting the members’ cause?

    That is also why we want the leadership of ASUU to be called to order to use the right approach in channelling grievances or whatever is disturbing us. We all belong to the same ASUU; we don’t want anyone to divide us. The problem we have is not ASUU but the EXCO that is why we are putting in an interim executive until we get the right people that will guide us.

     

    Mr Ayodele Asokere

    We found out that Idris and his co-sailors have failed in their primary duty to articulate our demands. For instance, the university for over six years owes salary arrears.  Though his predecessors made several efforts, Idris did not make any efforts to get this money back. He has failed to achieve anything.

    Before Idris came on board, there had being issues on ground in respect of retirement age of our members in the professorial cadre. The age is put at 70 years so that the university can benefit maximally from them as a professor It led to agitations and strikes in 2009. Many universities in Nigeria have implemented it because there has been an agreement between ASUU National and Federal government but LASU never implemented it and Idris never thought of asking for it. Therefore, he has left the substance and now chasing shadows.

     How many members does the new ASUU now have on its side?

     

    We have about 700 members and out of this number over 200 are on various study leave. The remaining are about over 400. Check the attendance register of ASUU-LASU congresses.  Attendance is not up to that number. It is very rare to have up to 100 people in attendance in any congress.

    Many a times, we are less than 50 in congress but at our own congress, we had about 150 people which means that many of our members are of the opinion that there is an urgent need for us to take drastic action to arrest the situation in LASU.

    What we have is focus. We thought they had focus before but we discovered they don’t.

    Before Idris’ executive, we never had a division. At our congress, it was observed that we have at least three groups of ASUU-LASU. This is what we are trying to arrest; there must be no division in ASUU-LASU and that is one of our primary goals.

    But Idris-led executive said you were suspended on anti-union activities

    You have to understand the procedure of ASUU. ASUU is like a cult, if you have any information for national you have to go through ASUU-LASU chairman (Idris), and that is where the problem started from. Some of us went to class to teach against ASUU warning, which was clear. We were accused of involving ourselves in anti-union activities and the basis for doing that was that we wanted stability in the calendar of LASU and that is what we stand for.

    A panel was set up to try us, but it was biased. Actually we already knew what the outcome would be so we did not attend the panel. So we are using this opportunity to tell the public to call the attention of ASUU national. There is problem in LASU, they should come and assist us and that is why we are coming in this way.

    You have been alleged of being used by management against the union

    Management has its own problems. If management were perfect, there would be no grievances to address. LASU is not about Prof Obafunwa, or Idris.  LASU is a project and the project must survive. We are not here because Obafunwa sent us; we are not working for anybody. We don’t have any financiers; we just want a medium so that we can be heard.

  • Idris: I am being victimised

    Idris: I am being victimised

    With the withdrawal of his Ph.D by LASU Senate last week, the Chairman, ASUU-LASU, Adekunle Idris is battling to save his academic career.  But that is not all; a group of previously suspended ASUU members suspended him as ASUU chairman, effectively creating a faction in the union.  He told The Nation that the union is determined to get rid of members who use ASUU to seek undue favours from management.  He also accused the vice chancellor of engineering trouble for him.

    How would you describe the supposed new ASUU-LASU?

    They are among the 21 suspended members of ASUU-LASU except one of them. What you see does not have anything to do with the government. In fact what you see play out is a grand plan by the administration of Prof Obafunwa. He cannot thrive in a peaceful environment. He needs to always create confusion.

    Can you imagine that a suspended ASUU member Tajudeen Olumoko, wrote a letter to the vice-chancellor to stop our check-off and he approved it?  I want to make it clear to the world that ASUU-LASU is going through a form of cleansing. Over time there has been instances when leaders used their position to penetrate the university management to get what they want but this set of executives is saying it won’t happen again. Their suspension has been ratified by the national body so as it stands they cannot address anyone as members of ASUU. They can start another union if they want. We only disciplined them and the union is clear on how to come back from suspension. Until they go through the process, they remain suspended.

    Are you aware of Thursday’s congress that suspended you and your executives?

    We are aware of the congress and we sent out messages that it was an illegal meeting. They used ASUU-LASU platform to send out messages but it was a deceit.

    I don’t know how it is possible for 17 suspended members to suspend an executive committee. Only 17 people attended the congress.  Then they began to take the register round the university to get signatures. It was an illegal meeting and the person they said is the interim chairman apart from being suspended, has withdrawn his membership of ASUU.

    It is the university’s administration that is creating this problem in LASU. It is a charade and whatever committee they set to probe is invalid.

    Nothing has been communicated to me. I still remain ASUU-LASU chairman.

    How did they get students to obstruct ASUU congress last week?

    What they did was to invite 400-Level students for an emergency test. They then told them that before the test commences they have to go and disrupt our congress because we were going to declare strike and that means they will not graduate until after two years. They students became furious and headed to where the congress was holding. The suspended members had already made placards so they gave them to the students.

    What can you say about the withdrawal of your Ph.D certificate?

    It is a big joke. Obafunwa has no Ph.D or Masters. How can he take away my Ph.D? It took me seven years to get it.

    If the university made a mistake in giving you what you did not study, why did you not complain?

    First and foremost as a student, I did not award myself a certificate. Two, I told you that I was offered admission in Ph.D Business Administration. In that course you have various areas of specialisation. There were two persons ahead of me, one had his admission in Ph.D Business Administration but wrote his thesis on Marketing; and the university in its own wisdom awarded him a certificate that reads: ‘Ph.D Business Administration (Marketing). Even before then another person had his thesis in the same Ph.D Business Administration/Marketing and he has even used the same certificate to obtain Senior Lecturer status in LASU.  This same certificate was used for NUC accreditation on behalf of the department. Therefore when the university did that, as a student, I believe that that is the standard the university has set for itself. Those who did their programmes in Business Administration but wrote their thesis in Marketing were awarded Ph.D Business Administration (Marketing) believing that that is the standard the university has set for itself. That was the precedent; so there was no cause for me to start agitating because I knew that is my field of specialisation, even though all my courses were done under Ph.D Business Administration stream.

    So since the university has awarded other persons before me, it simply means that they are following the precedent that they have laid. If there is anybody that has made a mistake, it is the department, headed then by Dr Ade Oyedijo, who was then my project supervisor and Head of Department.  He is currently the dean.

    So what do you expect the university to do?

    If the university felt they made a mistake, all they need do is simply write another one, and asked me to return the certificate in my possession. Why do you want to withdraw a certificate before you investigate because the letter says (in part) ‘for further investigation.’ One would have thought that the university should conclude its investigation first, come out with its findings with respect to those awarded. You cannot withdraw a certificate before you start the investigation. That is putting the cart before the horse.

    What happens in between the time you withdraw the certificate and the time you answer me? Like one of them in the VC’s kitchen cabinet said: ‘we will be in court for the next 10 years after withdrawing the certificate and by the vice-chancellor would have gone.’ That is impunity.

    But Obafunwa said the decision to withdraw his certificate was not his but Senate’s

    That is the hand of Esau but the voice of Jacob. The vice-chancellor manipulated the composition of the Senate. The university regulation says that deans of faculties shall recommend for appointment those to be appointed as heads of departments. The various deans made their recommendations, but the vice-chancellor discarded that and nominated his kitchen cabinet members and junior persons over senior ones to become HoDs. Naturally, these persons that are now heads of departments dominate the Senate. It is these people that he has used to perpetrate this illegality.

    Obafunwa called the Senate meeting at 10am that day. The Senate sat till 10pm in the night. By 7.30pm they started discussing my matter and until when they were left with 17 people in order to implement their agenda. Therefore we knew that people tried to put logic among two to three persons that were not in the inner caucus.  But Obafunwa discarded their views in order to implement their design.

     Why did the university not act in the last two years?

    Is it now that ASUU has been fighting against increment in school fees? Why is it now that we are agitating our members’ promotion? Why is it now that we are complaining that the vice chancellor does not allow the committee system in the university to run? We believe these persons are being used against the interest of the people in Lagos State. But we are determined to see this to the end.

    You claim you are being victimised for your role in ASUU, but management says it is part of cleaning up the system.

    Cleaning up the system that he (Obafunwa) personally started? If you are cleaning up the system, you start from the beginning. You issued a certificate you signed by yourself. It is simply a smokescreen.

    But Obafunwa said you were not the only victim

    All others are simply collateral damages. There are about 13 others, but Obafunwa said it clearly when he came to the Faculty of management Sciences that other affected persons will have their certificates reissued to them, and one or two will also be made to suffer like Idris in order to give the impression that it is not only idris that they are looking for.

    Let me note that this certificate that the management is withdrawing from others will also be used in the next few weeks for NUC accreditation in the Department of Accounting. I know the management will quickly re-issue those certificates to them, but it is the same error they made in their case that is also in my case.

    Some of them came in for Ph.D Management but were given Ph.D in Business Management, so why will they reissue those ones and not reissue mine?

    Lets assumed I’m working outside the country. Will the management asked me to bring my certificate from Canada. This university is great and we must not rubbish it. What we are talking about is a shame to the academic system.

     

  • Court adjourns suit against Idris

    A Kogi State High Court, sitting in Lokoja, the state capital, yesterday adjourned the case of alleged corruption against former Governor Ibrahim Idris by a former member of the House of Representatives, Dino Melaiye, till next Tuesday.

    The court, presided over by Justice H. A. Olusuyi, adjourned the matter, following the late service of a counter-affidavit filed by the counsel to the defendant, Mr. Pius Akubo (SAN).

    The counter-affidavit came on the heels of a motion filed on September 24 by Melaiye’s counsel, Mr. Godwin Iyinbor, of Mike Ozekhome’s law firm.

    The plaintiff prayed the court to grant him leave to conclude his case and rescind the court’s decision, which it earlier granted the defendants.

    The plaintiff asked the defendant to open his case.

    At yesterday’s hearing, Iyinbor told the court that the defence needed to open its case while the court should hear the plaintiff’s motion of September 24.

    He said the plaintiff was served with the defendant’s counter-affidavit in the court yesterday morning.

    The lawyer urged the court to give the plaintiff more time to study the affidavit.

    “A cursory look at the counter-affidavit shows that we need to respond to issues on the facts raised in the counter-affidavit.

    “The defendant claimed to have filed the counter-affidavit on October 2. Why didn’t the bailiff serve us until today?” Iyinbor queried.

    When the court enquired from the registrar why the service of the counter-affidavit was not served on time, the registrar explained that at the time the counter-affidavit was filed, there was no mobilisation service.

  • PAPA IDRIS STORMS SCOTLAND TODAY

    PAPA IDRIS STORMS SCOTLAND TODAY

    •To fly aboard  British Airways

     

    KANO PILLARS defender, Papa Idris will travel to Scotland tonight to formally join his new club, Kilmarnock FC.

    A source told SportingLife that the former Kaduna United defender will travel aboard British Airways.

    Super Eagles star and Pillars teammate, Gabriel Reuben has already signed a three-year deal with the Ayrshire club and has started training. This will be Idris first meeting with the club since the deal was brokered by his agent.

    It is understood that the Rugby Park side has secured a work permit from the Scottish FA for the pair.

    “Papa Idris is in Kaduna right now and he will be traveling to Scotland to join his new club tomorrow (today). He will leave by British Airways tomorrow (today). He is very excited with the new deal and everybody in the family is happy for him too. We only wish him well in his new life,” a close relation told SportingLife yesterday.

    Kilmarnock will face St Mirren in another Scottish league game at home on Wednesday night.

  • Kilmarnock moves to beat deadline for Reuben, Idris

    Kilmarnock moves to beat deadline for Reuben, Idris

    Scottish side Kilmarnock has moved to beat Sunday’s registration deadline to sign Nigeria internationals Papa Idris and Gabriel Reuben.

    It is understood that the Rugby Park side has gained work permit endorsements from the Scottish Football Association for both players who are both free agents having left Kano Pillars earlier in the season.

    Kilmarnock boss Kenny Shiels is concerned the club won’t conclude the deals before the SPL deadline to register free agents for the remainder of the campaign but, if successful, says both will add valuable experience at the back.

    “There’s a lot of stuff needs to be done,” the Kilmarnock boss told STV. “International Transfer Certificate, paperwork, all that sort of stuff.

    “There are two international players we’ve been speaking to. They would be really good for the development of our young players.

    “We need that international experience in there to try and help them.

    “Defending is difficult because we get forward so much and leave holes in the sides.

    “That’s the way we play – with an attacking philosophy. Sometimes there is trade off when you do that.”

    MTNFootball.com reports that defender Idris, 23, has been capped three times by his country, while midfielder Reuben, 22, was on the Nigeria squad for the recent Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa.

    Former Nigeria U-20 star Rabiu Ibrahim features for Kilmarnock.