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Tag: IGP

  • Court restrains EFCC, DSS from arresting PDP Secretary

    Court restrains EFCC, DSS from arresting PDP Secretary

    Justice James Tsoho of the Federal High Court, Abuja has temporarily restrained the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami (SAN), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and others from arresting Peoples Democratic Party’s National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo.

    Also affected by the judge’s order for the maintenance of status quo are the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) , the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase; and the Department of State Services (DSS).

    The judge, upon a request lawyer to Oladipo, Ajibola Oluyede, directed parties in the fundamental right enforcement application by the PDP National Secretary to maintain status quo by sustaining the current situation until the determination of the case.

    Justice Tsoho said the order was intended “to allay the fear being expressed by the applicant.”

    He added that the respondents needed not to comply with his earlier order made ex-parte, requiring them to show cause why a restraining order earlier sought ex-part by the applicant should not be granted.

    He directed the respondent to proceed to respond to the substantive application and adjourned to March 4 for hearing.

    Oladipo had filed the suit on February 8 on the ground that he had received a text message on his mobile telephone from somebody, who claimed to be an operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), attached to the Asset Tracing and Recovery Unit.

    H added that the author of the message asked him to call a certain phone number contained in the message in order to reach somebody else who would give the date and time  he was to report at the commission’s office in Abuja for an “interaction”.

    Oladipo alleged that he was being which-hunted, harassed and intimidated on the basis of funds which he received from members of the PDP “without guilty knowledge”.

    He is seeking among others, a perpetual injunction restraining the respondents from “the continued witch-hunt, harassment, intimidation and persecution of the applicant or threats by the respondents ostensibly on the basis of funds received by the applicant without guilty knowledge from members of his political party”.

    Oladipo wants the court to declare any plan to arrest, investigate or “fabricate evidence” against him as “constituting prosecutorial misconduct, malicious process, and misfeasance in public office by the respondents”.

    The applicant also wants the court to declare that the said acts “infringe unjustifiably and illegally upon the liberty, to be presumed innocent until proven guilty, to freedom of expression, association and movement”.

    He also wants the court to declare that “the pursuit of any excuse whatsoever and fabrication of evidence to incarcerate or justify the incarceration of the applicant in order to decimate and disorganize the Peoples Democratic Party.”

    He said his rights allegedly being threatened were “guaranteed and protected under sections 33, 34. 35, 36, 39, 40 and 41 of the Constitution as well as Articles 2,4,5,6,7,9,10,11,12  and 13 of the African Charter on Human and People Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, Cap A9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.

    Thursday, the AGF, EFCC and IGP were not represented by any lawyer.

    Lawyers to the ICPC and the DSS denied any knowledge of plan to investigate or arrest the PDP national officer.

    They also said they had not been served with all the necessary processes of the suit filed by the plaintiff.

    The judge directed the plaintiff’s lawyer to serve all the respondents and adjourned till March 4 for hearing.

  • IGP: we’ll introduce stun guns to replace firearms

    IGP: we’ll introduce stun guns to replace firearms

    Inspector General of Police (IGP) Solomon Arase has said that stun guns will soon be introduced as part of efforts to reduce casualties associated with misuse of firearms by police officers.

    He added that the police management was considering swapping officers, who have stayed more than three months in the Northeast to avoid deterioration of their health.

    Arase spoke in Abuja when he met with senior police officers to brainstorm on the roadmap for the year.

    He said the meeting was to focus on the rate of kidnapping nationwide, deployment of personnel and logistics towards the restoration of civil authority in areas liberated from terror elements in the Northeast, cattle rustling and robbery and other organised crimes.

    On the introduction of stun guns, the IGP said: “Right now, what we are trying to do is to discourage issuing firearms to police officers, who go on metro patrol. And that is why we are thinking of introducing stun guns this year.

    “Stun guns can incapacitate you, demobilise you, but they will not kill you. So, in case there is a mistake, then we will be able to ensure that the fatality is not such that will result in death.

    “It is also true that from statistics we have internal mechanisms for dealing with people who engage in misuse of firearms and I must tell you that many of them have been dismissed. But it is not every day you will see it on the pages of the paper that they have been dismissed.”

    Arase admitted that the increasing rate of kidnapping was a challenge to the police.

    On kidnapping, he said: “In my opening remark, I mentioned that we have serious challenges with kidnapping in some areas in the country because it is not all over the country and once these things happen, the way the press publicises it gives the impression that there is a near state of anomie; but this is not true.”

    The police boss explained that the robbers in Lagos have taken to kidnapping.

    He said: “We have a new challenge now in Lagos because after we have been able to mop up the bank robbers that come from the waterways, it looks as if they have found a new vocation in kidnapping, especially in Festac and Amuwo Odofin.

    “We are addressing those issues and I can assure you that those people will be caught. It takes time though; you know crime is always committed but the indomitable fighting spirit of the police force has to be strengthened and that is what we are trying to do.

    “Also, the supervisory role of the commissioners of police, divisional commanders, area commanders must be strengthened because I think that is where we are having a gap and I can assure you that we will make sure that we resolve it.”

    On promotion of officers in the Northeast, Arase said: “Sometimes, it is impossible to promote everybody due to the vacancy that we have. They are going to be promoted.

    “We are thinking of having a police week this year and we have started compiling names of people, who we will honour and give medals as a form of appreciation for what they are doing and about their allowances. Yes, it is true that the state governments are in breach, but you can also appreciate that the state governments have also been facing financial challenges too.

     “When I visited the Northeast, I appealed to them that the backlog of the allowances be paid so that the men there are not discouraged. At the management level, we have also decided that because of the psychological trauma associated with staying in that area for so long, we should start thinking of giving timelines and swapping them so that they don’t overstay in that area which will lead to the depreciation of their health and it will in turn lead to fatalities.”

  • IGP: we’ll introduce stun guns to replace firearms

    IGP: we’ll introduce stun guns to replace firearms

    Inspector General of Police (IGP) Solomon Arase has said that stun guns will soon be introduced as part of efforts to reduce casualties associated with misuse of firearms by police officers.

    He added that the police management was considering swapping officers, who have stayed more than three months in the Northeast to avoid deterioration of their health.

    Arase spoke in Abuja when he met with senior police officers to brainstorm on the roadmap for the year.

    He said the meeting was to focus on the rate of kidnapping nationwide, deployment of personnel and logistics towards the restoration of civil authority in areas liberated from terror elements in the Northeast, cattle rustling and robbery and other organised crimes.

    On the introduction of stun guns, the IGP said: “Right now, what we are trying to do is to discourage issuing firearms to police officers, who go on metro patrol. And that is why we are thinking of introducing stun guns this year.

    “Stun guns can incapacitate you, demobilise you, but they will not kill you. So, in case there is a mistake, then we will be able to ensure that the fatality is not such that will result in death.

    “It is also true that from statistics we have internal mechanisms for dealing with people who engage in misuse of firearms and I must tell you that many of them have been dismissed. But it is not every day you will see it on the pages of the paper that they have been dismissed.”

    Arase admitted that the increasing rate of kidnapping was a challenge to the police.

    On kidnapping, he said: “In my opening remark, I mentioned that we have serious challenges with kidnapping in some areas in the country because it is not all over the country and once these things happen, the way the press publicises it gives the impression that there is a near state of anomie; but this is not true.”

    The police boss explained that the robbers in Lagos have taken to kidnapping.

    He said: “We have a new challenge now in Lagos because after we have been able to mop up the bank robbers that come from the waterways, it looks as if they have found a new vocation in kidnapping, especially in Festac and Amuwo Odofin.

    “We are addressing those issues and I can assure you that those people will be caught. It takes time though; you know crime is always committed but the indomitable fighting spirit of the police force has to be strengthened and that is what we are trying to do.

    “Also, the supervisory role of the commissioners of police, divisional commanders, area commanders must be strengthened because I think that is where we are having a gap and I can assure you that we will make sure that we resolve it.”

    On promotion of officers in the Northeast, Arase said: “Sometimes, it is impossible to promote everybody due to the vacancy that we have. They are going to be promoted.

    “We are thinking of having a police week this year and we have started compiling names of people, who we will honour and give medals as a form of appreciation for what they are doing and about their allowances. Yes, it is true that the state governments are in breach, but you can also appreciate that the state governments have also been facing financial challenges too.

     “When I visited the Northeast, I appealed to them that the backlog of the allowances be paid so that the men there are not discouraged. At the management level, we have also decided that because of the psychological trauma associated with staying in that area for so long, we should start thinking of giving timelines and swapping them so that they don’t overstay in that area which will lead to the depreciation of their health and it will in turn lead to fatalities.”

  • Police unveil new uniform for SARS operatives 

    Police unveil new uniform for SARS operatives 

    Following public outcry on the shabby dressing as well as impersonation of operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Sqaud (SARS), the Nigeria Police Friday unveiled a uniformed dress code for the unit.

    The new uniform, which has unique numbers for the Federal SARS as well as the various state, was introduced in furtherance of efforts by the Inspector General of Police ( IGP ) Solomon Arase to emplace an accountable police.

    While unveiling the new kit at the police headquarters in Lagos, the Commissioner Fatai Owoseni said the force has recorded negative image through the actions and conducts of personnel in SARS.

    Aside professionalising SARS by splitting it into the Striking and Investigation departments to curb excesses of the operatives, Owoseni said the IGP introduced the set of uniforms so that SARS operatives can be identified.

    “The IGP came up with the outfits in which the public can easily identify and recognise SARS operatives when in operation. He wants to give them decent identity by taking them out of the practice of just wearing anything, thereby checking impersonation.

    “Henceforth, any police person displaying just black t-shirt and claim to be personnel of SARS is not. This uniform will also help check the excesses of illegal policemen. We are improving our policing method to be public friendly,” said Owoseni.

  • Illegal duty: Police demote three officers

    Illegal duty: Police demote three officers

    Three police officers attached to the Lagos Command have been demoted for alleged illegal duty.

    The officers identified as Inspector Columbus Anizor, Sergent Bayo  and Corporal Bawa  were demoted to Sergent, Corporal and Constable, respectively.

    It was gathered that the officers were arrested on December 5, last year and taken to Abuja following a petition against them by a suspected drug baron.

    The officers were said to have arrested the drug trafficking kingpin and confiscated cocaine worth about N15million from him, without the consent of their superiors.

    As if that was not enough, they were alleged to have released the man, sold the drugs and shared the money among themselves.

    The suspect, it was gathered, petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Solomon Arase, two weeks after his release, intimating him of the actions of the officers.

    “The officers were arrested and flown to Abuja and they confessed during investigation. They could not provide the drugs nor the money and so, the IGP ordered that they should be tried.

    “At the end of the trial, the three of them were demoted by a rank each,” said a police source in Abuja.
    It was further gathered that the drug baron was handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

    The Police spokesperson in Abuja, Bisi Kolawole could not be reached for official statement at the time of filing this report.

  • Kidnappings: Intelligence information hoarding hampers police work, says IGP

    Kidnappings: Intelligence information hoarding hampers police work, says IGP

    Intelligence information hoarding has been revealed as a major impediment to the effectiveness of the Nigerian Police in tackling insurgency, kidnapping and other crimes, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase has said.

    Arase spoke at the House of Representatives public hearing on 10,000 personnel recruitment, high profile murder cases and other related matters.

    Arase, who was represented by Dan Azumi Doma, Deputy Inspector General of the (DIG) Finance and Administrative also said federal character would be applied in the recruitment of the 10,000 policemen.

    While disclosing that torture no longer takes place in police custodies nationwide, Arase said his men have never engaged in shooting protesters and rioters at sight.

    The Haliru Jika-led ad hoc committee had questioned the IGP on reasons for seeming ineffectiveness of police at combating crimes, extra judicial killings and the recruitment exercise among others.

    On high profile murder cases involving former Justice Minister Bola Ige, elder statesman Alfred Rewane among several others, the IGP said the cases are in court and would not want to comment on them.

    Responding to the seeming failure of the police to combat insurgency, kidnapping and other crimes, Arase emphasised failure or reluctance of other security agencies to share intelligence information as a big challenge.

    He said: “We engage other services and members of the public to check crimes but intelligence information hoarding by other security agencies is a big challenge.

    “We have problems with intelligence information sharing with other security agencies because they keep information to themselves.

    “We feel that there should be avenue for agencies that needed information to have it immediately to be able to act on it and make the country more secure.

    “This is because intelligence sharing is dynamic, it is needed at the point it was needed, not days before or after it was passed.

    “It is when it was passed to us that we will act on it, if we say we want to go to the Office of the National Securoty Advuser (ONSA) to share the information before we act, the crime would have been committed.

    “What we do before now and still advocating is that intelligence, once generated by another agency should be handed to the agency that needed it immediately.

    “What has been happening before now is that agencies that generate intelligence, because they want to get the credit, they will report it to their oga in Abuja.

    “Assuming it is a Lagos matter, the man in Lagos will prefer to pass it to his DG in Abuja before it gets to the Commissioner in Lagos who is supposed to act on it.

    “The situation is such that the DG will now pass it to the IG, who in turn will pass it to the DIG and so on like that.

    “Before it gets to the the man in Lagos who is to act on it, the criminals would have gone.

    “What we are advocating is that monthly security and constant meeting between the ComPol and other services should be be promoted”.

    He also identified inadequate security manpower, pathetic training facilities and platforms that needed to be upgraded and acquired as other factors militating against the effectiveness of the police in discharging its duties to the Nigerians public.

    He however said Assistant Inspector General of Policr (AIG) Joseph Mbu, while he was a Commissioner of Police (ComPol) in Rivers and Lagos State never ordered his men to shoot protesters at sight.

    “I have not seen any Command where the Commissioner of Police give shoot at sight orders.

    “Not in this dispensation, since 1999, no ComPol has given that order to my knowledge. Mbu is not here but I can speak for him, he never went on air and say shoot rioter or protesters at sight.

    “What he was trying to say is that that police operations are guided by the constitution and the conditions under the policeman can aply his firearms, ” he added.

    He also disclosed that N8.7b would be required by the police to execute the 10,000 police personnel recruitment presidential directive.

    He assured the Committee that federal character would be applied in the exercise adding that as a regimented organization, each of the nation’s 744 Local government councils would be represented.

  • Lagos residents complain of incessant use of fireworks

    Lagos residents complain of incessant use of fireworks

    Some residents of Lagos on Friday expressed bitterness over the incessant use of fireworks, which they alleged, were causing them sleepless nights during the New Year celebration.

    The residents in separate interviews told NAN that it was a violation of their fundamental human rights for some people, under the guise of celebrating the New Year, marred their own peaceful family time.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), however, reports that the Inspector General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase, had ordered the ban on the use of fireworks and any form of carnival during the Yuletide.

    Mrs Opeyemi Awosika, a banker and resident at Abule-Egba, a suburb of Lagos, said that the fireworks prevented her from gaining access to her street when she got home at 9 p.m.

    “I got to my street at about 9.00 p.m. and the noise from the fireworks, especially the knockout, was so much and deafening that I had to park my car and called my gate man before I could gain access,’’ she said.

    Another banker and a resident of the same area, Mr Oladapo Adeniji, said that he had to call the boys, using the fireworks, to order before they allowed him drive peacefully to his gate.

    “But no sooner than I had passed than they started throwing the fireworks again.

    “I am not saying they should not celebrate but it is wrong when they use their celebration to disturb the peace of others,’’ Adeniji said.

    A lady, who simply gave her name as Madam Agnes and resides at Oke-Odo, another suburb of Lagos, also said that she the threatening noise from the fireworks prevented her from attending a planned crossover vigil.

    “I had planned to attend a church for the crossover service but I had to change my mind when I started hearing the sounds of the fireworks.

    “At first, I thought it was gunshots because it was very loud but I later discovered that it was firework.

    “This made me to change my mind and I told my children that we should do our prayers indoor as it is dangerous to go in the midst of fireworks,’’ she said.

    Mr Michael Abiri, a lawyer who resides at Agege area of Lagos, told NAN that the use of knockouts had reduced when compared to 2014 Yuletide.

    He, however, advised the police to ensure that it enforced the law banning the sales of fireworks in the state.

    “It is an infringement on a person’s fundamental human rights when a person’s celebration is disturbing the other. That is unlawful,’’ he said.

    According to Abiri, it is when the sale of fireworks is curbed that there will be no more demand for it.

    “The defiant users of fireworks should be arrested and prosecuted,’’ he said.

    The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Joseph Offor, however, told NAN that the state police command made some arrests.

    He promised to make the numbers of arrests it made public in due course.

  • IGP orders strict monitoring of firearms usage

    IGP orders strict monitoring of firearms usage

    The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Solomon Arase, on Wednesday called on senior police officers to monitor strictly the use of firearms and ammunition by officers under them.

    The Force Police Public Relations Officer (FPPRO), ACP Olabisi Kolawole, disclosed the IGP’s order in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

    Kolawole said the order was sequel to some alleged killings by drunken and trigger-happy policemen in different parts of the country.

    He said that Arase expressed sadness over unlawful killings and restated the need for Assistant Inspectors-General, Commissioners and Area Commanders of various commands and units to monitor strictly the usage of firearms.

    According to him, police personnel are supposed to account for arms and ammunition signed out to him or her to the supervisor.

    “No policeman is allowed to dispense any bullet without accounting for it to the supervising officer.

    “No police man is allowed to kill unlawfully. It is an offence to be drunk while in uniform and carrying gun.

    “Policemen have been trained on how and when to use the fire arms,’’ Kolawole told NAN on telephone.

    “They are not allowed to shoot indiscriminately. Policemen attached to anybody can only use firearms if the person they are attached to is in danger.

    “It is wrong for a policeman attached to an individual to start shooting into the air in a party or any other function where nobody is under threat.

    “Any one caught doing so unlawfully will face the law. The supervising officers are advised to monitor their men because they will answer questions if anything goes wrong.’’

    On the policemen that have allegedly killed, the police boss said they would face the law after dismissal.

    NAN recalls that within the last one week, a drunken Police Sergeant killed three friends and himself in Lagos, while another killed three persons in Enugu State.

  • Police promotion: IGP suspends screening of officers with degrees, HND

    Police promotion: IGP suspends screening of officers with degrees, HND

    Inspector General of Police (IGP) Solomon Arase has suspended the ongoing promotional screening exercise of officers who acquired degrees or Higher National Diploma (HND) while in service.

    The police leadership explained that the decision became imperative following allegation of malpractices.

    This was contained in a statement issued in Abuja yesterday by the Force spokesperson, Olabisi Kolawole.

    The police chief noted that the decision was reached after consultation with the Police Service Commission.

    Also, to ensure transparency, neutrality and free exercise, the Police High Command and the commission have decided to engage the services of an independent assessor.

    The police chief noted that when the exercise is completed, each state of the federation would have equal number of representation.

    Arase urged qualified policemen to be patient and ensure they attend the screening exercise to be scheduled by the independent body.

    He assured his men that all qualified policemen would be considered appropriately.

     

  • IGP: Army, Shiite clash under probe

    IGP: Army, Shiite clash under probe

    Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Solomon Arase has promised to carry out a professional investigation into the clash between the Nigerian Army and the Shiite Islamic group in Zaria, Kaduna State.

    He said this yesterday in a statement by the Force spokesperson, Acting Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP Olabisi Kolawole, in Abuja.

    The statement indicated that Arase gave the promise when a delegation of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, led by its Secretary-General, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, visited him.

    He said the police and other security agencies were conscious of the citizens’ fundamental rights and would protect them.

    Arase appealed to the Islamic body to use its platform to caution all groups in the country against encroaching on other citizens’ rights.

    “While they have the constitutional rights to express their views, it should not circumscribe the rights of others,” he said.

    The IGP denied an online report which quoted him as saying that relations of detained would have to seek special clearance before they would be allowed to visit them.

    “The Inspector-General of Police at no time said there would be special clearance from anywhere before the Shiite members could be visited while still in custody,” it said.