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Tag: IGP

  • Melaye’s trial: Court faults IGP for ignoring Senate’s invitation

    *Says Idris’ excuse not tenable

     

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has faulted the excuse given by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris for refusing to honour Senate’s invitation over the trial of Senator Dino Melaye.

    Justice John Tsoho, in a judgment on Tuesday, said not only was the IGP’s excuse untenable, the two suits he filed in relation to the Senate’s invitation, amounted to an abuse of court processes.

    The IGP has filed both suits earlier this year to challenge the propriety of the Senate’s insistence that he must honour its invitation in person, and the Senate’s subsequent declaration that he was not fit to occupy public office.

    The Senate had, by a letter dated April 25, 2018, invited the IGP in relation to the alleged inhuman treatment of Melaye, and the incessant killings in many parts of the country, including Benue, Plateau and Kwara states.

    The IGP,who was expected to appear before the Senate the following day, sent the Deputy Inspector General of Police (Operations) and Commissioner of Police, Kogi State to represent him.

    The Senate refused to grant audience to both men sent by the IGP and insisted that he must appear in person.

    The legislators rescheduled the meeting for May 2 and again directed that the IGP must honour its invitation in person.

    Rather than honour the legislators’ invitation, the IGP filed the first suit on April 30, 2018, through his lawyer, Alex Izinyon (SAN), contending among others, that he was not required, under any known law,to honour every invitation in person.

    The IGP argued that by the Constitution and Police Act, it was within his powers to delegate responsibilities, including directing some of his subordinates to represent him where ever he was invited, more so that his choice of the DIG (Operations) and CP, Kogi State was on the basis that they were conversant with the issues for which he was invited.

    In his judgment on Tuesday, Justice Tsoho upheld the argument by the defendants – the Senate and its President – to the effect that the IGP’s suits were intended at hindering the Senate from performing its constitutional and legitimate responsibilities.

    The judge’s judgment was on one of both suits. He declined to determine the second suit on the grounds that having rendered his opinion on one, he would prefer that another judge hear and determine the second one.

    He returned the filed to the court’s Chief Judge for reassignment to a new judge.

    The judge was of the view that although the IGP could be excused for being unable to honour the first invitation because he accompanied President Muhammadu Buhari on an official trip, there was no justification for his refusal to honour the second invitation.

    Justice Tsoho noted that the IGP, having had knowledge of the Senate’s invitation, his excuse that he could not attend the second invitation because he was on an official trip to Birnin Gwari with the General Officer Commanding was “not tenable”.

    The judge added: “I do not see any harm that would have been caused if the plaintiff honoured the defendants’ invitation.

    “I uphold the defendants’ argument that the plaintiff’s suit is intended to prevent the exercise of the Senate’s legitimate and constitutional responsibility and that it constitutes an abuse of court process.”

    He said the IGP’s contention that it would be subjudice to discuss issues relating to the pending cases against Melaye was not a sufficient reason for him to ignore the invitation by the legislators.

    The judge said the IGP should have honoured the invitation and impress it on the Senate to refrain from deliberating on the matter that was subjudice.

    Justice Tsoho noted that although, from the headings of the two letters of invitation by the Senate, it was clear that the issues to be deliberated upon had to do with a case pending in court, the plaintiff ought to have appeared for the legislative hearing to notify the Senate of the development.

    He said : “In this present case, the plaintiff ought to have appeared before the Senate and sought the Senate to ensure that the nothing is done to change the character of the matter in court.

    “The plaintiff having failed to do so but chose to run to court to file this suit, the suit amounts to an abuse of court process and it is accordingly struck out.”

    The judge proceeded to dismiss the suit.

    The second suit, which the judge returned to the Chief Judge relates to May 9, 2018 declaration by the Senate that the IGP was “an enemy of democracy and unfit to hold any public office within and outside Nigeria,” following his failure to honour the invitations.

    Read Also: Shehu Sani, Akpabio, Yari, Uduaghan returned unopposed

    The Senate and the House of Representatives, at a subsequent joint session, passed another resolution reaffirming the Senate’s “vote of no confidence” on the IGP.

    In the suit, the IGP argued that the conduct of both the Senate and its President, Saraki, in the proceedings leading to his being declared unfit to hold public office and an enemy of democracy, was borne out of hatred and “undisguised contempt” they allegedly had for him.
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    He described the Senate’s May 9, 2018 resolution as an unwarranted “penal sanction” and “a legislative judgment” borne out of the alleged hatred and contempt the Senate and Saraki had for him.

    The IGP contended that the conduct of the Senate and its President, Saraki, during the “votes and proceedings” leading to the May 9, 2018 resolution “is palpable of bias, deep rooted prejudice, visible hatred, and undisguised contempt of me.”

  • Boroffice to IGP: probe assassination attempt on my life

    Last Saturday’s assassination attempt on the life of the senator representing Ondo North, Prof. Ajayi Boroffice, in Owo, has continued to generate ripples among the All Progressives Congress (APC) fold across the state.

    In a statement by its spokesman, the ruling party said Boroffice’s attackers were not APC members.

    Also, Segun Ajiboye, the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, said Boroffice was repeating the alleged lies his team had been peddling for some time.

    In a statement, Ajiboye said: “It is surprising that the lawmaker has run to the press, even after he claimed that the police were investigating the matter.

    “At this stage, as law-abiding people, we would rather allow the police do their job.”

    But a statement by the senator’s media unit insisted that some aides of Governor Akeredolu have a case to answer with the Inspector General of Police (IGP’s) crack team over the assassination attempt.

    The statement reads: “Following the failed and foiled assassination attempt on the life of Senator Boroffice on Saturday in Owo, the media unit of the senator is concerned that while the Ade Adetimehin-led faction of the All Progressives Congress in Ondo State has not deemed it right to condemn the attack, the faction has issued two contradictory statements on the incident within 24 hours.

    “In one breath, the faction, through its spokesman, Kalejaye, confirmed that some aggrieved members of the party in Owo invaded the venue of the campaign. In another statement, the faction, through same spokesman, said the assailants are not party members. The faction should stop undermining the image of APC with its seeming confusion.

    “Also, it is our considered view that the statements credited to the Commissioner for Information in Ondo State and the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Governor on the matter are watery innuendos. They neither cleared nor dissociated their boss.”

    Boroffice’s spokesman Kayode Fakuyi said the insinuation raised by Adetimehin-led faction that the attack on Senator Boroffice was stage-managed by the supporters of the senator was unfortunate.

    The spokesman said the senator’s supporters have never stage-managed such incident, adding that they have no tendency to do so.

    He said: “They have no reason whatsoever to stage-manage such incident. The supporters of the senator could not have stage-managed an attack that was coordinated by appointees of the governor.

  • Our soldiers are over deployed – Former IGP Arase

    Nigeria is over deploying its military personnel to maintain law and order in different parts of the country and the areas where security is most needed is becoming vulnerable, former Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Solomon Arase has said.

    The former IGP stated this in Zaria on Monday while presenting a lead paper at the 50th Anniversary and International Conference of Department of Political Science and International Studies, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, said such action should be a source of serious concern to the nation.

    Read Also:Soldiers kill 10 kidnappers, bandits in Kaduna

    Arase, who is an ABU alumnus having graduated 38 years ago from the department, also said the country’s soldiers were deployed to 28 states across the federation and that this would continue to undermine the country’s civil police.

    The former police boss said the country should as a matter of urgency national importance strengthen its civil police to allow the military face its primary traditional assignment of defending the country’s external aggression.

    He expressed concern that most state governments hardly convened regular security meeting except when there was a serious security breach, saying that state governors should as matter of priority accord genuine attention to community policing to confront head on the security challenges facing the nation.

    Arase also canvassed for the development of a comprehensive national policy framework for effective security network with much emphasis on community policing where traditional institutions would be deeply involved in security handling.

    The former IG said no society could get its security system right without, first and foremost, the consent of its people since security matters were the concerns of everybody.

    He said Nigerian government should take the advantage of ICT to improve its security system, saying that when he was IG he once requested the then President to send an executive bill to the National Assembly to make it mandatory the installation of CCTV cameras in all shopping malls in Abuja and other cities across the nation.

    In his goodwill message at the occasion, the Emir of Birnin Gwari in Kaduna State, Malam Zubairu Jibrin, concurred with the position of the former IG on security measures, saying community policing was inevitable if the country was serious in the search for effective security system.

    “Community policing is not new to us (traditional rulers); it has been with us since time immemorial; and it is still relevant to our present situation. In fact, the complete picture of the former IG’s lecture is that security issue is also part of the responsibility of the traditional institutions,” he said.

    The emir, who graced the occasion in his capacity as an alumnus of Department of Political Science and International Studies, urged Nigerian leaders to make it a top priority the welfare of soldiers and police personnel in view of their delicate assignments.

     

  • Residents petition IGP over land feud

    Residents of the Millennium Citi Centre Estate in Gbagada, Lagos have petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) over the activities of the IGP X-Squad.

    They alleged that the squad, in connivance with some land grabbers, had been arresting and harassing staff and residents of the estate.

    In the September 18 petition signed by Olatokunbo Phillips, a lawyer, the residents appealed to the IG to order the release of a security man, Mr. William Iyke, and a barber, Mr. Julius Babasola, who were arrested on September 13.

    The squad’s operatives led by Aminu Sokoto and Sunday Daramola – both Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), were said to have arrested the men following a petition by a family.

    The petitioners alleged that the late Emmanuel Oyedele Ashamu family had, in the past invaded the estate (formerly Oke Alo Estate) with armed men and forcefully taken over undeveloped properties, which are subjects of litigation.

    “You may recall, sir, that our clients had written to your office with a view to sensitising the police about their precarious positions as landlords who duly purchased properties from three different families namely Delfino Anthonio Da Miranda, Ashamu and Odutola/Alase, all of who claim ownership vide contrasting documents purportedly issued by various government institutions who are feuding over the ownership of the land”, the petition stated.

    “Despite the fact that the properties within the estate are fully sold out for full consideration, the families are still embroiled in legal tussles at various courts in Lagos in which they sued the property owners within the estate”, the petition claimed.

    “We, therefore, implore you sir, to refrain your men from being engaged in acts of self-help or aiding any of the feuding families in forcefully taking over people’s land in the estate without a court order or judgement”, they said.

    The residents appealed to the IG to stop any of the families from further entering into the estate to forcefully take over landed properties, pending the determination of the actions in court.

     

  • Offa robbery: IGP directs service of summons on Saraki

    INSPECTOR-GENERAL of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris has directed the court summons and other processes issued by a court in Abuja in relation to a criminal complaint brought against Senate President Bukola Saraki be served on him.

    He detailed a unit in the Police Legal Department at the Force headquarters in Abuja to ensure the prompt delivery of the court processes on Saraki before October 3, the next date of hearing.

    A lawyer, E. S. Marcus, disclosed this development yesterday at the resumed proceedings in a criminal complaint made against Dr. Saraki by an Abuja lawyer and rights activist, Oluwatosin Ojaomo, in relation to the ongoing investigation by the police into the April 5, 2018 bank robbery incident in Offa, Kwara State.

    In the complaint marked: “CR/196/2018, filed under Section 89(5) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015”, Ojaomo argued that Saraki’s alleged refusal to honour an invitation allegedly sent to him by the police, in relation to the Offa robbery investigation, amounted to the offences of “obstructing a criminal investigation and disobeying a public officer carrying out a lawful responsibility.”

    The judge handling the case at the Grade 1 Area Court, Aco Estate, Lugbe, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Justice Abdullahi Garuba Ogbede had on September 10 this year, ordered the issuance of the summons on the IGP following Saraki’s absence in court when the case, in which he (Saraki) is listed as the sole defendant, was called.

    The judge had summoned the IGP to appear before his court on September 17 to show cause why Saraki was absent in court and what efforts he had made to ensure his appearance.

    Marcus, who is Ojaomo’s lawyer, told the court yesterday that although the IGP and Saraki were absent in court, he was informed by a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in the Legal Unit of the Nigeria Police Force, identified as Mahmoud that the IGP has directed a unit to ensure the delivery of all processes in relation to the case on Saraki.

    He said: “The defendant is not in court. At the last date, the court issued a witness summons on the IGP to come and show cause why the police failed to effect service of the criminal summons, warrant of arrest and other processes on the defendant.

    “The witness summons was served on the Nigeria Police Force by the court’s registry.

    “However, we received a call from DSP Mahmoud of the Legal Department of the Nigeria Police Force headquarters, that the matter has been assigned by the IGP to a particular unit of the NPF to effect the service of the summons on the defendant and arrest him.”

    Marcus urged the court to grant a short adjournment to enable the police effect service of the processes on the defendant.

    Justice Ogbede acceded to Marcus’ request and adjourned the case to October 3.

    The criminal complaint by Ojaomo reads: “Criminal complaint brought pursuant to Section 89(5) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015. Please, cause a summons for a direct criminal complaint on the defendant on the following terms:

    “That you, Dr. Bukola Saraki, on or about the 24th day of July 2018 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did refuse to honour the invitation of the Inspector General of the Nigeria Police Force to report at the police headquarters in FCT, Abuja to answer to  an allegation involving the investigation of  some criminal suspects involved in a case which the Nigeria Police Force is currently investigating, thereby obstructing a criminal investigation and disobeying a public officer carrying out a lawful  responsibility.

    “You thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 136 and 149 of the Penal Code Law. Whereas, the complainant is praying the court to charge the defendant accordingly.”

    Ordinarily, the service of the processes on Saraki ought to be effected by the complainant, but Marcus explained that when his client could not serve the defendant as ordered by the court, he applied, under Section 122 of the ACJA, to the IGP to help effect service on the defendant.

    He said the IGP was required, under the law, to either produce the defendant in court or attend court to explain why the defendant was absent, a position that informed the court’s September 10 order on the IGP.

  • Offa robbery: Court summons IGP over Saraki’s absence

    A court in Abuja has summoned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, to attend court on September 17, to among others, explain the absence of Senate President Bukola Saraki yesterday.

    Justice Abdullahi Garuba Ogbede of the Grade 1 Area Court, Aco Estate, Lugbe, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja ordered the issuance of summons to IGP Idris yesterday, following Saraki’s absence when the case in which he (Saraki) is listed as defendant, was called.

    The Senate president is listed as the sole defendant in a criminal complaint made against him by an Abuja lawyer and rights activist, Oluwatosin Ojaomo, in relation to the ongoing investigation by the police into the April 5 bank robbery in Offa, Kwara State.

    In the complaint marked: CR/196/2018, filed under Section 89(5) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, Ojaomo argued that Saraki’s alleged refusal to honour an invitation allegedly sent to him by the police, in relation to the Offa robbery investigation, amounted to “obstructing a criminal investigation and disobeying a public officer carrying out a lawful responsibility.”

    At the last hearing on August 3, Justice Ogbede ordered that processes in the case be served on Saraki and adjourned till September 10 for report of service and hearing.

    At the resumption of proceedings yesterday, complainant’s lawyer E. S. Marcus noted that the defendant was absent.

    He said neither the IGP nor his lawyer was in court to explain the defendant’s absence.

    Marcus told the court that when the complainant could not effect service of the processes on Saraki as ordered by the court, it applied, under Section 122 of the ACJA, to the IGP to help effect service on the defendant.

    He said the IGP was required, under the law, to either produce the defendant in court or attend court to explain why the defendant was absent.

    Marcus later applied that the IGP be summoned to enable him explain to the court what efforts he made to ensure that the defendant attended court, an application the court granted by ordering the issuance of a witness summons on the IGP.

    The witness summons dated September 10, reads: “You are hereby summoned to appear before the Grade 1 Area Court, Aco Estate, Lugbe, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja on the 17th day of September 2018 at 9am to testify about what you know concerning the matter of the said complaint and not to depart thence without permission; and you are hereby warned that if you shall, without just excuse, fail to appear on the said date, a warrant will be issued to compel your attendance.”

    The criminal complaint by Ojaomo reads: “Criminal complaint brought pursuant to Section 89(5) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015. Please, cause a summons for a direct criminal complaint on the defendant on the following terms:

  • Oshiomhole wants Policemen involved in Clark’s residence prosecuted

    National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has called for the prosecution of policemen involved in the raids and search of the Abuja residence of elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark.

    In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Simon Egbuebulem, the APC Chairman said that anything short of the prosecution of the affected policemen would be unacceptable.

    Read Also:Raid of Clark’s residence: IG dismisses three Inspectors

    Oshiomhole said “I am shocked to learn about the raid on the Abuja residence of our elder statesman and highly respected South South leader, Chief Edwin Clark by the police, last Tuesday.

    “I am even more baffled and embarrassed that no reason was given for that invasion and from the comments by the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Kpotum-Idris, the raid was not authorized by the police hierarchy.

    “Therefore, the IGP has a responsibility not only to detain the policemen involved but to also ensure they are diligently prosecuted in court. Anything short of that will be unacceptable.

    “The police hierarchy must come clean on this matter, and handle the entire issue transparently, including disclosing the names of the officers involved in this unwarranted attack on the person of Chief Clark.

    “I share the pain and embarrassment Chief Clark was subjected to by the said police officers, particularly as no reason have been given for the action. This is one matter the IGP must never sweep under the carpet.

    “It should be further reiterated that no Nigerian would be allowed to be subjected to such recklessness or impunity on the part of those charged to protect them.”

  • Police raid Edwin Clark’s Abuja residence

    …Afenifere, Ohanaeze, middle belt, Northern elders condemn raid

     

    The Abuja residence of the Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark was raided Tuesday by the police.

    The Police men, numbering six, it was learnt came from the office of the Inspector- General of Police, IGP, Ibrahim Idris.

    They were from the IGP’s ‘Special Tactical Force’ STF, Guzape, Abuja, which reports only to the Inspector- General of Police.

    The 91-old former federal commissioner was at home when the police came calling at about 12.30, in a 18- Seater Hiace Bus and a four Runner Car, with registration number EU 979 ABC.

    Read Also:Open letter: E. K. Clark warns mischief makers against manipulation

    Clark, No 43, Haile Selassie Street, Asokoro residence was turned inside out as the police searched for about two hours without finding anything incriminating.

    The Police men were led by Kolo Yusuf, said that they were with a Search warrant that was obtained from the court.

    Speaking after the incident, Chief Clark said, “I was in the house, in my bedroom when my boys came to inform me that there were police men downstairs and in the parlour, I said what do they want, they said they came from Inspector- General of Police, IGP Tactical Squad with a warrant and with their office in Guzape, So I said what do you want?

    “They said I was selling weapons in my house so that’s why they went to court to obtain a search warrant and they showed me the search warrant, I said, go ahead. So they went down,  searched everywhere, my most important part of it, my secretary, Miss Dorothy Koko  was in the bank, they said they must see that room and her bedroom and the office. So she had to come from the bank to open those rooms for them to search. Then after they came up, searched my wife’s room, my children’s room, my other parlor upstairs and everywhere, this is what happened.”

    On whether the Police at the end of the day discovered arms and Ammunition, Chief Clark said, “They didn’t find anything; they made a statement that they’ve come here with a warrant to search the house for ammunition, but they have searched the house they found nothing and they themselves took away nothing. Three of my people signed it and three of them signed it that’s what happened.”

    When asked if the search could be related to last week’s meeting of Elders and Leaders of various socio- cultural groups in the country, Chief Clark said, “I believe because of the various meetings we’ve been holding about the state of the nation, otherwise why would they expect, am not in Delta where I come from, that militants have come to keep ammunition in my house, but no sensible man will think that a 92 year old man in Abuja, will be keeping ammunition in his house to fight the government, overthrow the government, this is ridiculous, shameful.

    “I am not saying that people don’t keep arms, but am not that kind of person, I speak my mind on issues affecting this country, I believe in advocacy, I believe in peace. When our boys, calling themselves avengers and so on, vandalized  pipelines, I formed an organization known as Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF to stop these boys and I led about 100 people including leaders, traditional rulers, everybody.

    “Since then, there have been peace in the Niger Delta, oil production has increased, is that why I should be treated like this, perhaps this is the time I should mention, it has been the policy of the federal government, the presidency to congratulate Nigerians who have attained certain age, I attained the age of 91 on the 25th of May this year.

    “What I said earlier on, was that I am a man of peace, I believe in peaceful coexistence in this country, I have been doing everything possible to see that Nigeria remains one that’s why we’ve been forming various organisations to keep Nigeria together. I started PANDEF on the 19th of August 2016 to advice the youths who were vandalizing pipelines, to stop them from vandalizing pipelines.

    “Oil production in Nigeria which had gone down low to about 900 barrels per day has increased to over 2 million, everybody knows that. I have led meetings with Mr. President, with our people, I led a total number of 100 traditional rulers, politicians, past governors to meet with the President on the 1st of November 2016, I was looking for peace, but nobody can stop me from speaking my mind or associating with people to see that there is good governance in this country.”

    “It is dangerous to say where we are going, we are moving into a police state.  What worries me is that those who are surrounding Mr. President,  I do not think they wish him well with the way they are going, President Buhari  is the President of the whole Nigeria, not one part of this country. I do not think with his greatest respect and having honored my late friend, Alhaji Maitama Sule, I do not think one police man whether IG would have gone to kano to search his house, Why this type of discrimination, it is very unfair.”

    “I will never, I said it is my top slogan that when you are 70 and above, you are at the Lounge, waiting for your boarding Pass,  I would say I have gotten my Boarding pass, but God has delayed it, NOBODY can do me anything, I will speak my mind on anything that is unjust in this country, against injustice, against oppression, discrimination, religious  bigotry, ethnicity anything that will affect the unity of this country, peace, peaceful existence of this country I will speak against it.

    The elder statesman has not ruled out taking a legal action against the government and the police as he noted that, “My lawyers will look into that.”

    The Policemen on arrival demanded to see the Secretary to Chief Clark, Dorothy Koko who had gone to the bank as that the time they came, even as they requested that they must see her and at this time, a call was made to her to come back to the office which she did immediately.

    According to the source, when Dorothy Koko arrived, the policemen asked her to open her office, she did, they searched, thereafter went to her bedroom and toilet to search for everything, even as the rooms were turned upside down.

    The source said further that soon after they finished with Dorothy Koko, the Police men now climbed up to Chief Clark’s bed room where they also carried out a search in his room, the toilet, his wife’s room, the Children’s room, al, the parlours, among other places.

    At the end of the two hour exercise of putting the residence of Clark into such traumatic and horrifying situation, the Police men left without finding anything incriminating against the Elder Statesman.

    Three Police men were said to have signed a legal document indicating that neither arm nor ammunition was found in the house of Chief Clark or anything incriminating, while three persons from the side of Clark also signed the document before they took it to the office.

    Those who signed on behalf of Chief Clark were Ambassador Godknows Igali; Secretary General of Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, Dr. Alfred Mulade and Mr. Mac Emakpore.

    Reaction has continued to trail the invasion as Nigerian Leaders and Elders Forum expresses shock over the incident. The Afenifere, Ohanaeze, Middle Belt Forum and Northern Elders forum strongly condemned the police.

    In a joint statement by the groups, the police action was described as shameful.

    The statement was signed by Yinka Odumakin, Prof Chigozie Ogbu, Dr Isuwa Dogo  and   Dr Junaid Mohammed.

    The statement reads: “The Nigerian Leaders and Elders Forum is flabbergasted by the gestapo-like raid on the  Abuja home of 91-year -old elder-statesman and Leader of Pan-Niger Delta Forum(PANDEF) ,Chief EK Clark by men of the Nigerian Police on the spurious allegation  that there were “arms and ammunition” stockpiled in the house.

    “At the end of the shameful invasion of the home of the former Minister and Senator in the worst signal of Nigeria becoming a police state, the police could not find more than a kitchen knife regularly used to slice tomato and onion.

    “We view the provocative search as not arising from any intelligence report but a sheer act of intimidation on a home that has served as meeting point for patriots across Nigeria who are engaged in peaceful consultations to save Nigeria from the edge of the precipice.

    The raid is a sad reminder of the era of full blown dictatorship in 1984 when the home of Chief Obafemi Awolowo was ransacked in Ikenne by solders and officials of the dreaded NSO whose conduct has only been rivaled by the DSS under Daura before he was removed when the President was on vacation abroad.

    “The traumatization of Pa Clark at 91 is yet another proof that mad power has taken over our polity and its desperation now walking on four with all boundaries of decency collapsed for raw display of beastly tendencies.

    The Nigerian Leaders and Elders Forum demands an immediate apology to Chief Clark by the Nigerian Police whose leadership at the moment has shown serial unprofessionalism and dark age policing.

    “We want to sound it loud and clear to the administration that if the object of this intimidation is to send fear signals to patriots who are demanding better leadership for our country ,it has backfired .We all counted the cost before we chose to embark on standing up for the country
    Our battle cry remains : no retreat, no surrender !”

  • IGP: 30 police commissioners to supervise Osun election

    The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Ibrahim Idris, yesterday said 30 police commissioners will supervise the September 22 governorship election.

    He said each commissioner will oversee a local government. There are 30 local governments in Osun State.

    Idris spoke at a seminar on security with stakeholders in the election in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.

    He said the idea was mooted as a way of strengthening security for the election.

    The police boss also told The Nation that deployment of a huge number of policemen for the election is unlikely because he has confirmed that Osun State is peaceful and that residents are orderly.

    He said: “Obviously I think we are going to do normal deployment here. I have seen and confirmed here that this is a very peaceful environment. This place is peaceful. In some other places, you see people causing problems and formenting trouble. But this is a very peaceful and orderly environment. No, we won’t have unusual deployment for this election.”

    About 30,000 policemen were deployed to Ekiti State for the July 12 governorship election.

    Idris said security seminars with stakeholders in elections became pertinent because it is crucial to a peaceful, free and fair election. He said the seminar would be a continuous programme.

    The IGP reiterated the commitment of the police to ensuring that the exercise is not disrupted in any way, stressing that it was the reason behind deployment of 30 commissioners to the state for the election.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr Segun Agbaje, hailed the police. He said INEC was working hard on every aspect of the election.

    He said the commission was ready and well-prepared for the election and that politicians and other stakeholders only need to play the game according to the rule, so that the efforts of the commission would not be thwarted.

    The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, also called on politicians, INEC, security agencies and other stakeholders in the election to place the interest of the nation above any other. He advised them to ensure that all voters are able to cast their votes in an atmosphere of peace, stressing that peace is needed for development to happen.

    At the seminar were representatives of other security agencies, traditional rulers, civil society groups, market women and political parties, among others.

     

  • Youths petition IGP over APC chairman’s death in Enugu hotel

    Youths, under the auspices of Ezza Ezekuna Youth Association, have staged a peaceful protest in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, on the death of an All Progressives Congress (APC) local government chairman, Ernest Oduu, a lawyer.

    Until his death, Oduu was the Chairman of APC in Ezza South Local Government Area.

    He reportedly slumped on Saturday in an Enugu hotel, said to belong to a stalwart of the party in Ebonyi State, and confirmed dead at a hospital.

    The over 500 youths marched on some streets in Abakaliki before terminating the protest at the Government House.

    Addressing reporters, the youths urged the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to investigate the matter and unravel the cause of Oduu’s death.

    The protesters carried placards with various inscriptions like, “IGP, please, investigate the death of our son”; “Ezza youths mourn Ernest”; “We don’t want the death of our brother swept under the carpet” and “The cause of his death must be made public.”

    The protesters’ leader Leonard Alegu said the youths were at the Government House to protest the delay by the Enugu State Police Command in unravelling the death.

    They urged the Ebonyi State government to liaise with Enugu State police commissioner to begin investigation into the death.

    “Since Saturday, August 17, when our brother was said to have slumped and died in a hotel in Enugu, where he attended a political meeting, nothing has been heard about his death. We are worried that the police command in Enugu State has not commenced investigation and we are calling for justice.

    “We are here to make a passionate appeal to the Ebonyi State government to please liaise with the Enugu State Police Command, not just to investigate the cause of the death but to also unravel the cause of his death because justice will not be served if the cause of his death is not unravelled.”

     

    The Chief of Staff to the Government House, Ofor Okorie, said the youths’ action showed their high level of maturity and civility.

    Ebonyi State Deputy Police Commissioner in charge of Operations, Mr. Tony Olofu, said the command would collaborate with its Enugu State counterpart to probe the death.

    He urged them to go back to their businesses and remain law-abiding.