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Tag: IGP

  • Pension funds: Senate orders arrest of task force chairman

    Pension funds: Senate orders arrest of task force chairman

    The Senate on Wednesday ordered the arrest of the Chairman, Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina.

    This followed the refusal of Maina to honour invitation by the joint Senate Committee probing the management of pension funds in the last five years.

    Chairman of the joint Committee, Senator Aloysius Etok, announced that Senate President, David Mark, has signed a warrant of arrest mandating the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, to arrest and bring Maina to the Senate dead or alive on Thursday.

    The Senate had on Tuesday said that Maina failed to account for N195 billion pension funds.

    Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Service, Establishment, Local and State Governments, Senator Kabiru Gaya, disclosed this at the resumed public hearing on the management of pension funds on Tuesday.

    Gaya, who gave breakdown of the missing pension funds, said that in the Head of Service, a total of N139, 056, 523, 955. 20 was released, N100, 641, 106,957. 33 paid to pensioners with a balance of N39, 783, 682, 993. 00 unaccounted for.

    In the Police Service pension office, he stated that N131.5 billion was released in five years but only N58.3 billion was paid to pensioners while the sum of N44. 2 billion is yet to be accounted for.

    In Customs, Immigration and Prisons Pension Office, he said that a total of N85, 249, 222, 900. 16 was released, N27, 452, 200, 993.72 billion paid to pensioners leaving a balance of N27, 797, 822, 127. 00 unaccounted for.

    In Military Pension Board, he said that N317, 609, 082, 566. 05 billion was released, N294, 076, 743, 532. 87 billion paid to pensioners with a balance of N23, 532, 339, 034. 00 billion unaccounted for.

    In the Department of State Service Pension Office, Gaya disclosed that N34, 698, 149, 304. 68 billion was released, N9, 413, 090, 416. 00 paid to pensioners with a balance of N26, 121, 394, 662. 63 unaccounted for.

    Before the warrant of arrest was issued, Gaya said: “We have the rule and we have the power to request the Inspector General of Police to arrest and bring Maina here.

    “This committee has been patient to give him fair hearing. Members of the committee have resolved to ask the IGP to arrest him and bring him here tomorrow (today) by 11 am. Maina has to respect the law,” Gaya told the lawmakers.

     

  • Family of slain CPP candidate in Delta urges IGP to expose killers

    Family of slain CPP candidate in Delta urges IGP to expose killers

    The family of the  governorship candidate of the Citizens Popular Party (CPP) in Delta State, Chief Ogbe Onokpite, who was killed in controversial circumstances a year ago, has called on the Inspector-General of  Police (IGP), Alhaji Muhammed Abubakar,  to expose and bring his killers to book.

    Onokpite  was allegedly shot on November 26, 2011 by policemen at Beeland Hotel, Warri on allegation of gun-running.

    Onokpite contested the  governorship election with the incumbent, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State in 2006.

    Speaking at a news conference in Lagos on the occasion of the one year commemoration of the death of the politician, Mr Odiana Eriata, counsel to the  family,  stated that the revelations from police investigation so far showed that a killer gang exists in the state.

    Eriata, was accompanied by the younger brother to the deceased, Dino at the news conference.

    Eriata alleged that there had been  several attempts to cover up the killing of Onokpite and some people by the Delta State Police Command.

    According to Eriata, the various attempts  by some powerful people in the state to cover up the murder of Onokpite, was what culminated in the gruesome murder of two other persons, British Egene and Orlando Owodo on July 17, 2012 .

    The counsel to the Onokpite family asked the Inspector-General of Police to investigate the role of a particular  Assistant Supretendent of Police(ASP) (names withheld) in the matter.

    He alleged that Egene and Owodo,  were the two persons suspected to have set up the late Onokpite.

    According to him,  the car in which  guns were planted against Onokpite  belong to Owodo.

    Eriata said Egene and Owodo were murdered in Bayelsa State shortly after an eyewitness in the killing of Onokpite, Mr Gbenga Onasiji, identified eight of the 11 policemen involved in the incident at an identification parade in Abuja.

    “We believe that the assassination of Egene and Owodo in Bayelsa State on July 16 could not have been a coincidence but planned to break the chain of investigation and information in order to frustrate the unraveling of the procurers of Onokpite’s murder.

    “The police must expand its investigation to the owner of the vehicle that conveyed Egene and Owodo on the day they killed them because the character was at the Beeland Hotel the day late Onokpite was killed.

    “It is also mentioned that one of the governors in the Southsouth had also harassed the police investigators who attempted to interrogate one Papa Mike (the owner of the car) wherein Orlando and Egene were killed. I think there is more to this killer squad in the Southsouth,” Eriata stated.

    He, therefore, urged  the Inspector-General of Police not to leave any stone unturned in exposing those behind several cases of assassination in Delta State.

  • Court to hear Briton’s suit against IGP on January 31

    Court to hear Briton’s suit against IGP on January 31

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed hearing in N1billion suit against the Inspector General of Police (IGP) for January 31 next year.

    The suit was filed by a Briton, Khomeini Bukhari, who accused the Nigerian Police of making “malicious and libelous” statements against his person and refusing to investigate allegation of robbery he made against two policemen.

    Justice Gabriel Kolawole gave the date to enable to plaintiff serve the police with all necessary processes. The court is expected to hear the originating summons with the objection filed by the IGP.

    The plaintiff had raised a complaint last year to the effect that two police officers robbed him at the Millennium Park in Abuja on October 29, 2011.

    He said rather than investigate his complaint, the police, allegedly issued a press statement, debunking his claim and purportedly described him as a man of unsound mind.

    The Briton claimed the police authorities not only failed to investigate his complaint, they made “malicious and libelous” statements against his person.

    The contentious statement, he stated, was credited to the Public Relations Officer of the FCT police command, Mr. Jimoh Moshood, on or about December 7, 2011.

    He averred that the FCT police command did not only doubt his claims that the two policemen – Samuel Ekpah and Daniel Marcus – robbed him, it also insinuated that the plaintiff was of unsound mind.

    The plaintiff stated that the FCT police command, in the statement, wondered why the plaintiff was carrying about a large sum of money, and accused him of trying to embarrass the police.

    He is praying the court through his lawyer, Bamidele Aturu, to award against the defendant, N1billion as both exemplary and aggravated as damages. The plaintiff also asked the court to order the IG to pay him N1.5m being the combined value of the N200,000 cash and the Breitling wrist watch valued at N1.3m, which the policemen allegedly collected from him.

    Bukhari also asked the court to order the IG to publish a public apology to him in three national dailies, for the statements credited to the PPRO, FCT police command concerning his complaint

    The IGP, in his notice of preliminary objection, asked the court to dismiss the suit on the grounds that he was not responsible for the alleged libel and that the suit is statute barred.

  • Senate faults IGP on anti-terrorism law

    Senate faults IGP on anti-terrorism law

     

    The Senate on Wednesday faulted the claim of the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, on existence of anti-terrorism law.

    Abubakar was reported to have blamed the inability of the police to fight terrorism in the country on absence of enabling law.

    The IGP was also reported to have said that though he does not know the number of arrested Boko Haram members, the absence of enabling law has made it difficult to prosecute those arrested.

    But the Senate said the IGP is ignorant of the law.

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Information, Media and Public Affairs, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, at a press conference in Abuja faulted Abubakar’s claim.

    Abaribe said the Senate was surprised to hear that Abubakar claimed that there is no law to enable the force prosecute those involved in terrorist acts.

    He noted that the Senate and House of Representatives passed the Terrorism Prevention Bill on June 1, 2011.

    The Bill, he said, was transmitted to President Goodluck Jonathan on June 2, 2011 and signed into law the following day.

    He said, “Let me say that the Senate was very surprised and indeed flabbergasted that the Inspector General of Police would say that there is no anti-terrorism law.

    “It is called Terrorism Prevention Act of 2011.

    “It was passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on June 1, 2001 and on June 2, it was transmitted by the Clerk of the National Assembly to the President.

    “To show how important it is to the President, he signed it into law on June 3, 2011.

    “I have the Bill here and it makes elaborate provisions for prevention of terrorism and for prosecuting those who have committed terrorism act.

    “I think that the IGP has not been briefed properly by his legal staff of the existence of a Bill that has been here for a year and five months after its passage.

    “What happened is that even on top of the Bill that has already been passed, the Senate went ahead to pass an amendment of this Act on October 17 this year to expand part of the provisions on that Act.

    “Everything that you need to fight the war against terrorism is already in the Act.

    “We are going to send a copy of this Act again to the IGP.

    “We find it very difficult to believe that an arm of government could say that it does not have a law that has been signed by the President more than a year ago.

    “I think there is something that is wrong there.

    “So, it is not true that we do not have anti-terrorism law.

    “We actually have an anti-terrorism law, which has been passed since June and signed into law by Mr. President since June 2011.

    “I am saying that there is a law, nobody can say that there is no law and I have shown you the law and I have told you when it was signed.

    “What I have here is a copy of the President’s signature on the law, singed on June 3, 2011.

    “We don’t think that such should be an excuse.

    “There is enough in our law to prosecute anybody who has committed a terrorist act.”

     

  • Curb criminal activities or face consequences, IGP tells police chiefs

    Curb criminal activities or face consequences, IGP tells police chiefs

    Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, has ordered all zonal Assistant Inspectors General of police (AIGs) to curb incessant criminal activities in their areas of jurisdiction or face the consequences.

    Abubakar, who met with the top brass of the police at the Force Headquarters on Tuesday, decried what he described as increasing spate of lawlessness in certain parts of the country, particularly in the north east.

    The IGP, however, cautioned the officers against high handedness in the handling of the job, saying that the fundamental rights of the citizens must not be trampled upon in the process of enforcing the law.

    Abubakar harped on the need to keep the streets free of criminal elements ahead of the Yuletide celebration.

    He specifically charged Commissioners of Police in charge of Borno, Yobe, Zamfara, Kaduna and Taraba to be on their toes against the Boko Haram sect.

    His words: “Given the situation we met on ground, I think there is progress. But we need to state that there are challenges, particularly in Borno, Yobe and Taraba in the northeast and Kaduna and Zamfara States in the northwest.

    “All these incessant killings, kidnappings and armed robberies must stop. We must work on the excesses of our men; we have seen appreciable improvement but we still need to do more.

    “In the cases of bribery and corruption, we have improved but I have observed that there are some states where it seems the issue of bribery and corruption has not gone down. Henceforth, I am going to hold the Commissioners of Police responsible for this.”

    The IGP attributed the delay in trying suspects arrested for acts of terrorism to the delay in passing the Anti Terrorism Bill, but added that the suspects are undergoing intense interrogation.

    He hinted that an inter-agency committee comprising all the security agencies has been set up to properly screen the suspects and determine their culpability, stressing that a Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) is representing the police in the committee.

    Abubakar said the police authorities were still working on the next line of action against the dismissed former Commissioner of Police, Zakari Biu, who was alleged to have taken illegal actions that led to the escape from police custody of a terror suspect, Mr. Kabiru Sokoto.

     

  • Kogi ousted Speaker cries out to Jonathan, IGP

    Kogi ousted Speaker cries out to Jonathan, IGP

    … Says, ‘I’m not safe’

    Embattled Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Hon. Abdullahi Bello, on Thursday appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to save the state legislature from annihilation.

    Bello flanked by 12 members of the House addressed a press conference in Abuja.

    He lamented that when the members went to the House to resume legislative duties on Thursday, they were prevented from entering the Assembly Complex by policemen allegedly acting on the orders of the state commissioner of police.

    12 members of the 25-member Kogi State House of Assembly had on Tuesday announced that they have met and impeached Bello and other principal officers of the House.

    Most Nigerians have condemned the action, saying the 12 lawmakers did not meet the constitutional requirement of two-third (17 members), needed to carry out the impeachment.

    He also vowed to challenge the action of the 12 lawmakers in court to ensure that sanity is restored to the state.

    Bello said: “All these things that are happening across the states, particularly in Kogi State would not have been happening if not that some people around Mr. President are trying as much as possible to cause a problem for the Federation.

    “The President that I know, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is a man of honour and rule of law.

    “If you look at the last general election in the country, he ensured a very free and fair atmosphere for the election to be conducted.

    “So there is nobody that could have used the name of Mr. President to perpetuate illegality in any part of the Federation, particularly in Kogi State.

    “So I appeal to Mr. President as the Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces and the number one citizen of this country to rescue the Kogi State legislature from absolute annihilation by the executive arm of government in the state. This is because what happened in Kogi State is an executive influence and maximum force which led to the compromise of the police.

    “I therefore want to appeal to Mr. President to come to the aid of Kogi parliament because without parliament there is no democracy.

    “The absence of parliament means that what we have is absolute dictatorship.

    “So if any governor of a state decides to muzzle the parliament, what we have is elected sole administrator as governor of the state.

    “So we want Mr. President to address this situation as a matter of urgent public importance.”

    He said his life was in danger as the commissioner of police in the state had withdrawn all his security aides.

    Bello also urged the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to look into the matter and ensure that the rule of law prevails.

    He added: “The commissioner of police, at an ungodly hour of the day of Wednesday withdrew all my security.

    “You know what it means for my security to be withdrawn without informing me.

    “That to me is an abuse of power, it is an affront on the constitution, it is against the rule of law and it is unjust.”

     

  • Ondo guber poll: IGP orders restriction of movements

    Ondo guber poll: IGP orders restriction of movements

    Determined  to ensure adequate security for the Ondo State governorship election scheduled for Saturday, the Inspector- General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, on Wednesday ordered restriction on movements in and around the state.

    Starting from Thursday October 18 to Friday 19, there will be restriction of movements in and out of Akure, the state capital between 6pm – 6am.

    There will be total restriction of movements in and out of the state from 6pm on Friday to 8pm on Saturday, “except for those on essential duties and or such degree of movement necessary for citizens to exercise their franchise on the election day.”

    A statement by Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Frank Mba, urged travelers and citizens intending to use roads in and out of Ondo State to divert to alternative routes.

    “The IGP appealed for the understanding and cooperation of the entire citizenry, as the restriction is essentially to ensure the effective security of citizens, election officials and materials. It is a strategy to curtail the influx and movement of undesirable and criminal elements in and out of the state before and during the election,” the statement said.

    Abubakar assured that adequate security logistics and manpower had been strategically deployed to achieve a most conducive electioneering atmosphere.

    “In this regard, policemen for election duty have been properly trained, briefed and sensitized on their roles as stipulated in the Electoral Act. They are expected to be professional, non partisan, civil but firm in their approach and relation to the public; and to strictly observe Force Order 237 on the use of firearms to ensure that inalienable rights of the citizens are not trampled upon.

    “The IGP uses this medium to advise politicians to play by the rules. Consequently, politicians, political office holders and all very important personalities who are not directly involved in the conduct of the election, are expected to peacefully cast their votes and return to their homes.

    “On no account must they be involved in monitoring of election, as the police will enforce to the letter, all laws relating to the elections and law breakers appropriately dealt with in accordance with the law of the land.

    “Citizens of Ondo State are enjoined to come out enmasse to exercise their civic right, as the police, assisted by other security agencies, have mapped out plans to ensure that persons who are out to cast their votes, do so without fear of molestation from any quarters,” it added.

     

     

  • Reps invite IGP over Mubi, Rivers killings

    Reps invite IGP over Mubi, Rivers killings

    The House of Representatives yesterday condemned the recent attack on students of the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi, Adamawa State and last weekend’s mob killing of four students of the University of Port Harcourt.

    It invited the Inspector General of Police, (IGP), Mohammed Abubakar over the killings.

    The police chief is to brief the House committee on Police Affairs and the committee will in turn report to the House.

    No date has been fixed for the IG’s appearance.

    Members also observed a minute silence in honour of the dead students and resolved to send a delegation to Mubi and Port Harcourt to commiserate with the government and families of the slain students.

    The team will also visit Maiduguri, where over 30 people, including soldiers were killed on Monday.

    The IG is to brief the House Committee on the inability of the police to prevent or intervene while the attacks lasted. He is also to explain the absence of the police and security agencies within the vicinity of the attacks.

    The resolution was sequel to the adoption of the prayers of motion by a lawmaker, Abubakar Wamba, who wondered at the motive behind the killing of over 40 students of the Polytechnic in Mubi, Adamawa State,

    Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairperson of the House Committee on the Diaspora, noted that the actions of both Port Harcourt and Mubi attackers had gone far to demonstrating the fast degenerating level of our value system,

    According to her, the security service were to blame mainly for their non-responsive attitude during such emergencies.

    “When we look at what happened in Mubi and Port Harcourt, especially, you can see we have lost our moral values. In view of all the killings that happened, the House should ensure that it is not business as usual,” she said.

  • Court restrains IGP, others from arresting Lagos lawyer Ozoani

    Court restrains IGP, others from arresting Lagos lawyer Ozoani

    Justice Florence Duroha- Igwe of an Imo State High Court, Owerri has restrained the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), his Assistant (AIG) in Zone 9, Umuahia and Julius Berger Plc, from arresting a Lagos-based lawyer, Mr Emeka Ozoani

    Also restrained are ASP P.S NJoku of Zone 9 and DCP Zone 9, Peter Ogunyanwo.

    The order will subsist pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice filed by the applicant.

    Justice Duroha-Igwe issued the order restraining the respondents or their agents from arresting Ozoani while ruling on a Motion Exparte dated October 2, 2012 which the lawyer filed after being declared wanted, in spite of an earlier court order which set aside the warrant of arrest.

    The judge, upon reading through the Motion Exparte, the affidavit of urgency and supporting affidavit filed with a written address and the arguments of the applicant ordered that the defendants should not arrest the lawyer.

    She ordered that: “That the respondents, their agents, officers are severally and jointly restrained from arresting Barrister Emeka Ozoani on the strength of the newspaper publication declaring the applicant a wanted person in respect of a suit where he is discharging his professional legal services pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice for enforcement of his fundamental rights.”

    The judge stressed that the order will subsist pending the hearing and determination on notice.

    Ozoani had filed an application for the enforcement of his fundamental human right to personal liberty supported by a 59-paragraph affidavit, asking for an interim order restraining the respondents from arresting him pending the determination of his Motion on Notice and on the strength of the said newspaper publication

    He also asked for a declaration that the act of declaring him a category A wanted person as illegal and a order setting aside the declaration that he is a wanted person

    Ozoani had also asked that the respondents tender a public apology via two national newspapers for unlawful infringement of his right and asked for N50 billion as special, exemplary and general damages.

  • IGP takes over Lagos murder case

    IGP takes over Lagos murder case

    Inspector- General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar has taken over the case of Ugochukwu Ozuah from the Lagos State police command and has constituted a high powered investigation team to unravel the circumstances that led to his death.

    Ozuoh was killed at a Lagos bus stop on September 20 in circumstances that have pitched his family members against the police with the former accusing the latter of being responsible for the gun shot that killed the young man.

    A statement by Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Frank Mba on Thursday stated that members of the new investigation team were picked from the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Abuja

    “The IGP has mandated the team to identify and fish out the killer(s). The directive is necessitated by the need to maintain neutrality, professionalism, speedy and holistic dispensation of justice”, the statement added.

    According to Mba, the IGP’s action was informed by the need to unravel the controversy surrounding Ozuah’s killing, a development that has generated so much public interest since the incident occurred.

    The statement quoted Abubakar to have appealed to members of the public, especially those who may have witnessed the crime to come forward with useful information that could aid the police in arresting the culprits.

    Prospective informers are encouraged to use the special police email policemonitor@npf.gov.ng to relay useful information on this case to the police.

    The statement added that the investigating team will be releasing special dedicated phone lines for purposes of interacting with members of the public, as soon as they are on ground in Lagos.

    “While commiserating with the family, friends and relations of the deceased, the IGP reassured the nation that the Force will do everything humanly and operationally possible to ensure that the perpetrators of the crime are unmasked and eventually brought to book.

    “The IGP is also using this medium to dispel rumours making the rounds, especially on the social media that he had earlier made a definite statement concerning the incident, “the statement said.