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Tag: IGP

  • IGP launches ‘Bail is Free’ campaign in Niger

    IGP launches ‘Bail is Free’ campaign in Niger

    Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Kpotum Idris has launched ‘Bail is Free’ campaign in Niger State to put to rest corruption allegations regarding bail of suspects in police custody.

    Idris, represented by the Force Police Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, said the launching would be done in the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory.

    He said the X-Squad of Nigeria Police had been sent to states, following the launch, to monitor compliance, adding that it had been given power to arrest, detain and discipline erring police officers.

  • Lawyer petitions IGP over sack of three cops

    ALaWYER, Aiyewunmi Remilekun, has petitioned the Police Service Commission (PSC) and Inspector-General of Police (IGP), over the alleged unlawful dismissal of three policemen attached to Igbeba Police Division of Ogun State Police Command.

    Mufutau Olaosun, an Inspector; Adebayo Temitope, a Sergeant, Adesoye Ayokunlehi and Bakare Taiwo who are corporals, were dismissed last June for allegedly extorting N50,000 from Akala Oluwatobi.

    But Olaosun, Ayokunlehi and Adebayo, through their lawyer, described their dismissal as “illegal and unlawful.”

    In an August 27 petition , they complained of “intimidation, harassment, political manoeuvering of orderly room proceedings and conducts unbecoming of a police officer” against the officers who conducted their orderly room trial.

    The lawyer stated that sometime in June 2017, information was lodged at the Area Commander’s office, Igbeba, information reached the Igbeba Police Division that 10 youths were conducting themselves in a manner likely to cause breach of the peace at Molupa.

    Remilekun said: “Upon this information, the three cops and one other were drafted to the area to prevent breakdown of law and order, and for possible arrest, which the affected officers immediately booked at the charge room before leaving for the area.

    “On getting to the area, the affected policemen were able to arrest two of the boys while others ran away on sighting them.

    “One of the boys when asked to identify himself but could not give a satisfactory explanation, upon which the officers became suspicious and the boy was taken to their office for interrogation and investigation.”

    The lawyer said when his clients conducted a search on the arrested boy named Akala Oluwatobi, “N50, 000, was recovered from him but he could not give a satisfactory account of the money.”

    He said when the money was recovered it was registered with the Exhibit keeper in register 084/2017, of June 6, and a case file was opened and the statement of the arrested boy was taken.

    Remilekun also stated that instead of the arrested boy to present himself the next day with his father whom he claimed to be his boss, as directed by the policemen, he opted to call Police Complaint Rapid Response Unit (PCRRU), following which the Officer-in-Charge of the Unit directed the Divisional Police Office (DPO) of Igbeba Police Division to investigate the matter and report.

    Remilekun added that the DPO’s report exornorated his clients, “but this did not go down well with the Area Commander,” who directed that his clients be tried in an orderly room.

    According to him, the orderly room trial proceedings was then altered against his clients.

    The lawyer claimed that his clients were not given fair hearing as no memorandum of appearance was issued to them before their trial and they were also denied the right of Appeal.

    This, he added, contravened the 1999 Constitution,” which guarantees the right to fair hearing and the Police Act.

    He demand an “immediate retraction of the police wireless message DTO: 291121/06/2017, the publication purporting to dismiss of our clients from the Nigerian Police Force and their immediate reinstatement to their position without any loss of Rank, status and remuneration, with a letter of apology to each of them.”

  • IGP IDRIS came calling

    IGP IDRIS came calling

    IGP Ibrahim Idris is a lean, agile and ebullient spirit. He beamed with these qualities as he walked into The Nation newspaper’s boardroom last week. With him were a deputy inspector general of police, about six commissioners of police and other top officers. It was billed as a brief visit to The Nation’s editors. Articulate and engaged, he reeled out his vision and accomplishments. The felling of kingpin Evans, the clipping of Badoo, the multiple arrests of robbers on Kaduna-Abuja express way et al.

    I appreciated all these but I pointed out my worries: Why Yerima Shettima of the Arewa Youths Forum and IPOB’s Nnamdi Kanu have not been arrested in spite of the official line. He delved into a delicate explanation of consultations and how the acting president was leveraging meetings at the National Security Council to keep peace. I followed up and asked if we were sacrificing the law for peace. A tricky proposition.  He said both men exercised their right of freedom of expression. I countered that there was a difference between freedom of expression and incitement. We did not agree there, especially when one of the officers said words alone cannot mean incitement in law. All law dictionaries I consulted defines incite as to “rouse”, or “instigate.” As I noted, you don’t need a gun or dagger to incite. Words are even more potent. Radio Biafra is words. Solomon said, life and death is in the power of the tongue.

    He also responded to the state police issue, and he referred to a lecture last week, in which he said, by consensus, all agreed that Nigeria was not ripe for state police. When shall we be ripe? Asked columnist Kunle Abimbola. The IGP replied as an example that no state organised local government elections and lost. I wanted to intervene, but Lagos CP Owoseni and others indicated they were about to leave.

    Two points. One, alpha Governor Akinwunmi Ambode was a contrarian voice at the lecture and backed state police, listing his obvious scores. So, the claim that it was a consensus was not correct. Those who stood against state police  at  the lecture were beneficiaries from the centre, including former military officers and some traditional rulers. One Professor Etannibi Alemika, who delivered the lecture, said we were not ripe for state police in tendentious logic. Some professors ought to be thought how to research.

    I only wanted to ask the IGP: is Nigeria ripe for federal police, with Badoo, kidnapping, Boko Haram, robberies and even election violence? If we want federalism, it’s state police. Unless we don’t want federalism.

    On the whole, I admired IGP Idris for his imagination and drive. He also is trying to introduce marine police and emulate police trust fund that Lagos, Nigeria’s fount of progress, has set in motion.

  • Family, friends urge IGP to rescue abducted director

    Family, friends urge IGP to rescue abducted director

    Ihe Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Ibrahim Idris, has been urged to rescue the Southsouth Regional Director of Dangote Cement PLC, Mr. Olapade Ojo-Odidie, who was abducted 84 days ago.

    Addressing reporters in Lagos, yesterday, Mr Tolu Orodu, the coordinator for the Intervention Committee for Ojo-Odidie, said security agencies and Rivers State government should act fast before anything untoward happened to him.

    He said neither the family members, nor relations had not been contacted by his abductors, noting that his wife and children were passing through harrowing moments.

    “Let me make it clear that the family and friends of the missing Olapade fondly called Pade, as at 83 days of his abduction are yet to be contacted by the abductors just as the vehicle and mobile phone of the victim had been recovered by the police.

    “We are deeply worried.  Our brother, who until his disappearance, was a regional director, Southsouth with Dangote Cement Plc and based in Warri, Delta State.

    “He travelled to Awka, Anambra State on April 22 to attend an official event organised by one of the company’s major distributors.

    “He attended the event with three other directors of the company, after which he was presumed to have travelled back to Asaba to check out of the hotel, where he lodged and thereafter headed to Warri through Port Harcourt since then, we have not heard from him.

    “The case was immediately reported to the Rivers State Police Command in Port Harcourt and the police authorities have been investigating the matter since then but without any breakthrough.

    “The police command confirmed the case as abduction and has recovered his mobile phone and official vehicle, Prado Jeep, (black) marked KSF580 DN,” he said.

  • Akure residents alert IGP, others to killings, cultism

    Residents of Akure, the Ondo State capital, yesterday urged the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and other heads of security agencies to avert further killings and other threats to security of life and property in the town.

    They noted that there had been a rise in the activities of hoodlums in the community in the past few weeks.

    There were reports that suspected members of cult groups had been on killing spree in Akure in the past few weeks, making life unsafe for the residents, visitors and businessmen.

    Rival cult groups had reportedly been fighting each other.

    Addressing reporters yesterday, the Asiwaju of Akure, Prof Olu Agbi, said over 10 persons had been reportedly killed in various parts of the town in the last few days.

    Agbi said: “Apart from the killings by secret cult members, there were reports of kidnapping, attacks and killing of farmers by herdsmen, among other heinous crimes. Some crimes, including armed robbery and ritual killings, have not gone unnoticed by the community.

    “Some national dailies have even written editorials on the incidents and gave the developments in the town a national outlook.

    “We are disturbed by these reports; more so that our community, before the recent events, has been peaceful. We accommodate people, irrespective of their tribes, cultures, social status or creeds. Non-Yoruba speaking people and other ethnic groups living among us will attest to the fact that Akure indigenes are loving and very accommodating.

    “On our farmlands, we welcome non-indigenes to reside without being discriminated against. This made it possible for non-indigenes to get chieftaincy titles in our communities.”

    Agbi regretted that the accommodating posture of the residents had been taken for granted by members of secret cults, most of who he said were non-indigenes.

    The community leader accused them of unleashing terror on the residents.

    He noted that apart from the killing of hapless people, secret cult members also put the residents in fear of attacks or in ensuing melee.

    The academic urged security agencies to avert further killings and other evil actions of suspected cult groups in the town.

    According to him, the community is disturbed that despite the attacks and killings, law enforcement agents appeared helpless.

    Agbi regretted that no one was sure of who the hoodlums would attack next as they had been moving from one part to another, attacking the residents.

    The community leader urged the IGP, the Director General of Department State Services (DSS) and other security agencies to step up their patrols of Akure streets to prevent further killing of innocent residents and the breakdown of law and order.

    He said: “Reports reaching us indicate that some law enforcement agents are members of these secret cults which have made the fight against cultism difficult for the top hierarchy of the security agencies.

    “Security sources told us that Eiye members in the force would release their members, if brought to the police station while Aiye members among law enforcement agents would do the same for their members.

    “We ask the IGP to purge the police of secret cult members so that the war against cultism and other crimes could be meaningful. We also call on the Ondo State Police Command to monitor its men in Anti-Cultism Squad so that we will not have cultists masquerading as police officers.”

  • IGP seeks synergy among security agencies

    IGP seeks synergy among security agencies

    Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris has called for more synergy among security agencies to tackle rising security challenges.

    Idris, who spoke when he visited Niger State Governor Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello was commenting on the governor’s position over lack of collaboration among security agencies.

    Bello had alleged that the agencies undermined themselves instead of working together.

    The IG said it was important for the security agencies to work as a team and present a united front to discourage crime and criminal activities.

    “There is need for more synergy between security agencies. We need to work as a team. We need the cooperation of every individual in the security apparatus in the nation.”

    The Inspector General said there was a lot of improvement in the area of security as the Police waged war against criminals and kidnappers.

    He said he was on a private visit to the governor.

    He met with traditional rulers to see how the security of the nation can be improved.

    Idris stressed the need for everyone to support security agencies.

    “I want everyone to ensure that we sustain the level of unity in the country. We need the cooperation of every individual to support security agencies to ensure that we have total and sustained peace in this nation.”

  • Group lauds IGP on performance

    The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris has been commended for his ingenuity to motivate the Nigeria Police Force into sterling performances in the recent time going by outstanding successes recorded by the force in its operations.

    The IGP was specifically praised for the introduction of a special Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and Technical Intelligence Unit (TIU) which jointly worked together recently to effect the arrest of criminals in the country

    In a statement issued after a two-day training session for his members comprising chief security officers (CSOs), chairmen, secretaries & PROs of trade associations & artisans  held in Lagos and signed by its Director-General, Dr. Martin John Oni, the Police Assistance Committee (PAC) commended the IGP for ordering immediate double promotions for all the policemen and officers that participated in the special operation which resulted in the arrest of criminals disturbing the peace of the country, adding that it was a timely motivation to enhance greater performance in the police force and re-assuring men of the force of their adequate welfare.

    Dr. Oni noted that since IGP Ibrahim Idris came on board, a series of innovations had been introduced into the Nigeria Police Force which had brought great inspiration into the operations of the force, while adding that the PAC would  key into this new spirit in the force by motivating its own members to keep assisting police operatives and other security agencies through information dissemination and Intelligence gathering.

  • West African Police’ cooperation led to Evans’ arrest, says IGP

    West African Police’ cooperation led to Evans’ arrest, says IGP

    The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, yesterday attributed the arrest of suspected kidnap kingpin Chukwudumeje Onwamadike, alias Evans, to information sharing and intelligence cooperation among the police in West Africa.

    Delivering a paper titled “The role of Nigeria Police in national security and its contributions in West Africa”, at the West Africa International Security Conference in Accra, Ghana, Idris said the police were able to track and arrest Evans because of information shared between police of both countries.

    He said: “Information sharing is crucial to tackling the menace of trans-border crimes in West Africa. It is through such exchanges that we were able to nab a Ghanaian/Nigerian kidnapper two weeks ago, after evading arrest for many years.

    “For several years, Evans terrorised Nigerians and nationals of many countries across West Africa. Efforts to apprehend him did not yield the desired results until we spread our search net wider.”

    The IGP solicited closer ties among security agencies in the sub-region, emphasising the need to improve the method of monitoring and surveillance, particularly among border and coastal police units.

    He called for improved communication capabilities among intelligence gathering outfits in West Africa, adding that there should be mutual support to plug loopholes exploited by criminals.

    According to Idris, the Nigeria Police had 300,000 personnel in 127 area commands and 5303 divisions, adding that the force had consistently contributed to stability and peace in ECOWAS nations and UN mandates.

    The IGP said: “The Nigeria Police Force trained 250 Liberian Police personnel in 2005 and has consistently offered training slots to police officers from Gambia and Sierra Leone at the Police Staff College, Jos, and the Police Academy, Wudil.

    “We also trained 100 police officers from the Republic of Niger on mobile police combat in 1998. At the end of the training, Nigeria donated trucks, riot equipment and tear smoke to the Nigerien government.”

    Continuing, Idris said the police helped stabilise Guinea Bissau in 2012, when the military intervened in its leadership and truncated democracy.

    “Our police personnel remained there until democracy was restored in 2014,” he said, expressing the nation’s readiness to consistently cooperate with police formations in other countries.

     

  • IGP: Eight held over pupils’ kidnap

    IGP: Eight held over pupils’ kidnap

    •’Rise in criminals’ use of tinted glass, siren’

    Eight persons have been arrested over the kidnap of six pupils of Lagos State Model College in Igbonla, Epe, 15 days ago, Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris said yesterday.

    The suspects, he said in Abuja, were connected to those who kidnapped the children.

    The police, he said, would get the kidnappers soon.

    Idris said the children’s safety was paramount in the efforts to rescue them.

    “The IGP said: when conducting operations such as this, the safety of the children is very important and we are concentrating all our efforts on protecting the lives of those children. The creeks surrounding Epe and Ikorodu are always connected with kidnapping. We are going to have a permanent solution to the security in those areas but we and the state government have to advise school owners on where to site schools. Why are they building schools in areas that are vulnerable to activities like kidnapping. We have to take the security of the children serious and consider the environment where schools are built because location matters.

    “You don’t site a school where somebody can park a boat, go off the boat and pick targets and zoom off. We are looking into that and we have organisations supporting us in the construction of gunboats and in a month or two, some of the gunboats will be used to patrol the creeks and more marine officers will be trained and the creeks will be more safe because they will be patrolled using the gunboats.”

    He spoke of an increase in the abuse of tinted glass and spy number plates, saying criminals now use them to perpetrate crimes. “Some private individuals are using spy police and on a mere glance, you will think they are police officers. We want to set up task forces all over the country to check the abuse of spy plate and abuse of siren.

    People use siren and tinted glasses to commit crimes. We are going to set up task forces that would be deployed to various parts of the country to check the excesses of these individuals,” Idris said.

  • Alleged threat to life: Let Kashamu submit self for investigation, IGP tells court

    Alleged threat to life: Let Kashamu submit self for investigation, IGP tells court

    THE Inspector General of Police (IGP) yesterday told a Federal High Court in Abuja to direct Senator Buruji Kashamu (representing Ogun East) to submit himself for interrogation in relation to an allegation of threats to life made against him by a House of Representatives member, representing Ikenne, Sagamu and Remo North Federal Constituency in Ogun State, Oladipupo Adebutu.

    The IGP made the request while objecting to a suit by Kashamu, seeking among others, to restrain the Police and Department of State Services (DSS) from arresting and transporting him to the United States for trial on drug related offences.

    Adopting IGP’s written submissions yesterday, David Igbodo, who represented the IGP, said the fundamental rights suit by Kashamu was intended to frustrate ongoing police investigation of the petitions by Adebutu and the applicant (Kashamu) in which they made allegations and counter-allegations against each other.

    He said Adebutu was the first to petition the IGP, accusing Kashamu of threatening his life in a hotel in Port Harcourt. He said Kashamu equally filed a counter petition.

    Igbodo noted that while Adebutu has made statement to, and been interrogated by the investigating panel constituted by the IGP to investigate the petitions, Kashamu refused to, but instead filed the suit, alleging a plot to transport him to the U.S. on drug related cases.

    Igbodo said: “We urge this court to refuse this application and urge the applicant to make himself available to investigators to make his statement.”

    Lawyer to Adebutu, EhiUwaifo, argued in similar manner and urged the court to refuse Kashamu’s application and ask him to submit himself for interrogation in relation to allegations contained in the petition against him.

    Although the DSS was absent during proceedings, Igbodo drew the court’s attention to the counter affidavit it filed and its prayer that the court rejects Kashamu’s application, which the court adopted in the absence of any lawyer representing the DSS.

    While arguing his client’s case, Kashamu’s lawyer, AjibolaOluyede, urged the court to grant the prayers contained in the application.

    Oluyede said the complaint made by the 3rd respondent (Adebutu) against the applicant (Kashamu) has been dismissed by the police, through a report signed by a Deputy Commissioner of Police, to the effect that the complaint was found to be baseless.

    He said despite the fact that the police report showed that there was no basis to arrest the applicant any more, one Sergeant Tanko Mohammed, who is under the control of the IGP was still insisting that Kasahmu must appear before the investigating panel, which he (Mohammed) is a member.

    After the lawyers adopted their written submissions, Justice NnamdiDimgba adjourned to July 6 for judgment.