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Tag: Inspector-General of Police

  • IGP appoints Lakanu force secretary

    The Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has appointed Assistant Inspector General of Police, Frederick Taiwo Lakanu, as the new Force Secretary and member of the Nigeria Police Force Management Team.
     In a statement released by the police and signed by the Force Police Public Relations Officer, DCP Jimoh Moshood, the appointment takes immediate effect. The new Force Secretary takes over from AIG Abdul Bube, who retired from the Force on December 31, 2018, after 35 years in service.
    The statement reads in part: “He (Lakanu) served in various capacities in the Force as AIG Federal Operations, Force Headquarters, Abuja, Commissioner of Police in Imo and Ekiti States, Commissioner of Police Airport Command, Lagos, Principal Staff Officer to the IGP (Force Headquarters Annex, Lagos, among others.
    “Until his recent appointment, he was the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 7 Headquarters, Abuja comprising the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Niger and Kaduna States. He has since assumed duty as the Force Secretary, Nigeria Police Force.”
    Meanwhile, AIG Godwin Nwobodo has resumed to the position of the new AIG of the Zone 7 Command covering Kaduna, Niger and the Federal Capital Territory. Until his new appointment, Nwobodo was in charge of the Nigeria Police Border Patrol Force.

    Read Also:Police warn PDP, APC members against billboard destruction

    Born on August 12, 1959, to the family of Mr. & Mrs. Samuel and Margret Nwobodo of Aninri Local Government Area, Enugu State, he completed his primary school education at Alafia Institute (Free Section) Mokola Ibadan, Oyo State in 1973 and obtained his WASC and HSC at Olivet Baptist High School, Olivet Heights Oyo in 1978 and 1980 respectively. He earned a B.Sc (Honours) degree in Biochemistry in 1983 from UI and participated in NYSC scheme in 1984 in Ondo State and later joined the Nigerian Police Force with effect from 31 Dec 1984. AIG G. C Nwobodo also holds an LL.B, BL (Law), M. Sc in Legal Criminology and Security Psychology as well as MSS (Masters Strategic Studies) both from the University of Ibadan, Ibadan. He is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators UK (Nigerian Branch), the Nigerian Bar Association, Nigerian Institute of Management, the Society for Peace Studies and Practice as well as a fellow of the prestigious National Defence College, Nigeria. He is a member of the Air Assault and Ikeja Golf Clubs.
    AIG Nwobodo was the CP (Courses) at the Nigeria Police Academy, Kano, before his recent promotion to the rank of AIGP (Assistant Inspector-General of Police) and his initial deployment to the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Kuru near Jos. He had served earlier in a number of Commands and Departments of the Nigeria Police Force from 1986. He was equally in the Nigerian contingents to the United Nations Peace Missions in Kosovo and Haiti.
    AIG Godwin Chijioke Nwobodo has attended several courses both within and outside Nigeria. Among them are Strategic Leadership and Command Course, and Advanced Detective Course both at the Nigeria Police Staff College, Jos, Unit Commanders Orientation Course and Training in Combat/Operations at Police Mobile Force Training College, Gwoza Borno State Nigeria, Police Administration and Management Course II, Nigerian Army School of Military Police, Basawa, Zaria Kaduna State and the Higher Defence and Strategic Studies Course at the National Defence College, Nigeria. His M Sc. Strategic Studies dissertation on the “Nigeria Police Force in the Criminal Justice System and National Security” was recently approved leading to the award of the MSS degree of the prestigious University of Ibadan, Ibadan.

  • Buhari, DSS, IGP, NSA meet in Aso Rock 

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday again met behind closed doors with some security chiefs at the Presidential Villa.

    Those at the meeting included National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Yusuf Magaji Bichi and members of the Police Service Commission (PSC).

    Read Also:Buhari, Service chiefs meet over soldiers’ killings

    Also at the meeting was the Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari.

    The meeting was still in progress at the time of filing this report.

     

    Details later

  • Reps charge IGP over kidnap of Four reverend sisters in Delta State

    The House of Representatives on Wednesday charged the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris to take necessary steps to rescue religious leaders kidnapped  across the country;
    The lawmakers also said the police in their effort should include the four Reverend Sisters kidnapped in Delta State.
     The resolution of the Green Chamber was sequel to the adoption of the prayers of a motion by a member, Hon. Raphael Nnanna Igbokwe (APC imo).
    The the House  Committee on Police Affairs was mandated to ensure compliance and report back within a week for further legislative action.
    Igbokwe while presenting the motion spoke of the spate of kidnapping in Delta State “where several persons were kidnapped including four Reverend Sisters of the Medical Missionaries of Mary (MMM) Congregation near Agbor, Ika South Council of Delta State”
    Igbkwe while expressing concern on the increased rate of kidnapping and attack on the clergy and religious leaders across the country;
    He said despite calls on government to tame the activities of armed men across the country, they are still ravaging and terrorizing citizens.
    He expressed concern for the safety of the kidnapped reverend sisters and others.
    His words: “if the kidnapped persons are not rescued, it might lead to loss of lives of the affected persons and heighten religious tension.”

    Read Also: IGP deploys AIG to Kaduna over killing

    The lawmaker said over 30 men of God have lost their lives in the hands of kidnappers.
    He further said “any attack against a man of God is an attack against God,” and asked security agencies to live up to their responsibilities.
    Other lawmakers like Oghene Egoh (PDP Lagos)  and Sergious Ogun (PDP Edo) and Abubakar Fulata (APC Jigawa) that spoke condemned  the kidnapping and attacks on religious leaders and other Nigerians stating that there is need to employ technology in fishing out the culprits.
    However, the Leader of the House, Femi Gbajabiamiila insisted that the word “Herdsmen ” be expunged from the motion as the motion us investigative in nature.
    Putting “herdsmen” in the motion, he said,  is volatile and could cause religious friction.
    But other lawmakers insisted that since there have been arrests of herdsmen involved in kidnapping, the word should remain.
    When the Speaker, Hon. Yakubu  Dogara called for a voice vote on the motion, it was passed without dissent.

  • Small things that may matter in a democracy

    For the government to have spent N3.5 million every month to keep the leader of Nigeria’s Shiite movement in detention is to throw away good money

    Because Nigeria has too many big problems to worry about, many of its citizens do not have time to get concerned about small acts by those in power to diminish the freedom of innocent citizens, in the name of efforts to control abuse of rules by others. Today’s column is about some of those small steps taken by those in political or administrative power to thwart the rights of citizens ostensibly in order to protect the professional integrity of those under their supervision.

    A few days ago, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) endorsed the dismissal of a police officer who got drunk while on duty. Once such decision follows due process, there should be no complaint it. But the IGP has been reported to have called for immediate closure of ‘all beer parlours’ within the police community. What this means is that business owners duly licensed to sell alcohol to citizens not on duty, visitors to police barracks, wives of police men, or workers, such as plumbers, electricians, prayer warriors working in a police community are, perhaps unintentionally, denied their right to carry out a legitimate business in a public space.

    If police barracks is what is referred to by the IGP as police community, would the order to shut down shops that sell alcohol involve closing shops belonging to wives of police men or ordinary citizens to whom shops have been rented by landlords in Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA) in hundreds of communities across the country? The problem with the decision of the IGP to close beer shops in police communities is an avoidable attack on the freedom of innocent Nigerians making an honest living, on account of irresponsible behavior of someone who is unable to abide by the regulations that protect the integrity of his or her profession or job.

    What pertains to democracy and freedom of citizens in the case of a drunk police man on duty is the decision to invoke Prohibition Order on a matter that calls for Abstinence. The order is tantamount to punishing an entire community for the sin of a few individuals. Admittedly, a police officer that cannot stay away from drinking alcohol while on duty should not have a place in the police force. The Nigeria Police Force is not the only employer of labour that forbids employees from drinking on duty. Just about every occupation in Nigeria forbids workers from drinking on duty, without insisting that those doing their own business in the vicinity be denied the opportunity to make a living. It is the employee, especially in a vocation that requires discipline, that should abstain from alcohol, not the entire community to which an employee belongs that must be denied of its rights. What is the sense in protecting police who live in the barracks from access to alcohol while majority of police officers live outside the barracks? Police officers who commute to work from the larger community are as likely as those in the barracks to come in contact with beer selling shops on the way to and from work. What will the IGP do to save such police officers from temptation—close all beer shops on the roads?

    Alcohol is a major item in the country’s economy. It enables many communities, including those that do not believe that it is good for people of faith to consume alcohol, to earn billions from VAT collections on sale and consumption of alcohol. It is dangerous for any profession, vocation, or even faith to make it hard for those who want to buy alcohol to do so in an attempt by employers to prevent those whose jobs require temporary abstinence to have easy access to beer shops. Shutting down beer markets in police communities may not be effective to prevent police officers from getting drunk or from drinking alcohol, but it may be enough to drive many innocent citizens who make a living buying and selling alcoholic beverages out of business. The IGP missed the point when he appealed to the public not to offer alcoholic beverages to police officers. He does not have the power to tell citizens what they can do. It should be expected that the police system would have trained every police man or woman not to take gifts ranging from money to bottles of beer. There ought to be easier ways to enforce compliance by police officers with the rule not to get drunk on the job than what the IGP has done.

    For example, the police can insist that only teetotalers should apply for a position in the police force. But democracy watchers will be right to complain about such law. A law limiting police jobs to teetotalers will constitute discrimination against those who drink alcohol. Another option is for the police system to view law enforcement officers who get drunk on duty as persons with psychological problems who need special intervention. Setting up centres to treat alcoholics in the police force will cost the government much less than closing hundreds of shops selling alcohol in police communities, thereby rendering such people jobless and reducing revenue that should flow into federal allocations to states to meet some of their monthly functions. That the police service has a right to prevent drunk police officers from endangering the lives of citizens in the course of law enforcement is not in question; what is questionable is whether the police force has a right to prevent police officers from having opportunities to buy alcohol in their neighbourhood, especially in a country where alcohol is not listed as an illegal substance.

    On another important matter, a country that is trying to fight crime should not do anything to encourage or incentivise those charged with any form of crime. The news that the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (Shiite) consumes N3.5 million of taxpayers’ money monthly on food sounds like over pampering of the leader of IMN. For the government to have spent N3.5 million every month to keep the leader of Nigeria’s Shiite movement in detention is to throw away good money. No detention facilities cost this much anywhere else on the globe. If Ibrahim El Zakyzaky’s offence is not serious enough for him to be kept in a regular pre-bail facility or he is considered too prestigious to be in a regular jail space, he could have been allowed to stay in his house in the form of house arrest. There is an inexpensive technological device to put round El Zakyzaky’s ankle that will make it hard for him to move beyond his compound. And with about fifty policemen to ensure that he stay inside 24 hours, the feeding cost for Zakyzaky’s family members and 50 policemen attached to his house could not have been up to 20% of what the government claims to spend every month on keeping the leader of IMN in detention. Spending this humongous amount of money on any ‘criminal’ can serve as encouragement to high-profile offenders or make individuals serving time for worse crimes to have doubts about the commitment of the government to the rule of law, especially equality before the law.

    Protecting or promoting democracy is not just about the integrity of elections, as important as this may be. It is to ensure that any attempt to punish those who break rules should not whittle down the rights of others. Punishing a police officer apprehended for getting drunk while on duty is in order, but preventing those who make a living selling alcoholic drinks from doing so, all in the name of saving individuals from temptation, is not the best way to ensure that police officers follow rules. Further, spending N3.5 million to feed somebody considered not eligible for bail can be misconstrued as encouraging commission of some categories of crime by the government.

  • Police recovers over $470million, N8b, 9657 firearms, others

    The Nigeria Police Force have recovered over $470million, and N8billion, 9657 firearms, 26,994 ammunition in two years.

    The Police also recovered two vessels, seven speed boats, 83 trucks, 25 assorted cars including Jeeps, 36 buses, 29 motorcycles, five Speed Boat engines and 38 pumping and drilling machines and generators.”

    The recovery according to the Police were made since the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Ibrahim Idris assumed office.

    The IGP assumed office in June 2016.

    The IGP had on 21st February, 2018 directed the Commissioners of Police of all the State Commands including  FCT Abuja and their Supervisory Assistant Inspectors General of Police of the 12 Zonal Commands in the Country, and the Force Headquarters Joint Task Enforcement Team to mop up and recover prohibited firearms and ammunition.

    Highlighting how the recoveries were made, Moshood said: “Ultimatums of 21 days at intervals were given by the Force for voluntary return of all prohibited firearms in the hands of members of the general public, individuals and groups such as Vigilantes and neighbourhood watch groups in any of the 36 States and the FCT including the 774 Local Government Areas of the Federation.

    “Town Unions, hunters and watch night men or any group or association under any capacity or guise, other than Security Agencies recognized statutorily and gazetted by the Federal Government of Nigeria to bear firearms of specified category; after the expiration of the grace period and ultimatums, the CP of State Commands, FCT and their Supervisory AIG of Police and the Force Headquarters Joint Task Enforcement Team in compliance with IGP’s directives and working on actionable intelligence, swung into actions and embarked on mop-up, seizure and recovery of all illegal and prohibited firearms and ammunition from wrong hands.”

    Details of the recovery are contained in a statement in Abuja on Thursday by the Force Spokesman, Ag. DCP Jimoh Moshood.

    On the monetary and non-monetary assets recovered, Moshood said: “On assumption of Office, the IGP created Special Units to handle high profile cases including terrorism, cyber and high-tech crimes, some of which includes the IGP Monitoring Unit, SIP and Task Force on Anti-Pipeline Vandalism.

    “As a result of these efforts, the Nigeria Police Force recovered the following monetary and non-monetary assets for the Federal Government.

    “The sum of $470,519,889.10 belonging to NNPC Brass/LNG Investment hidden in some commercial banks after the directives of the Federal Government on TSA.

    “The sum of N8, 807,264,834.96 monies belonging to NNPC Brass/LNG Investment that was not remitted to TSA Account of the Federal Government was also recovered

    “The Sum of N114, 290,000.00 in relation to the December 10th, 2016, National and State Assembly Re-Run Elections in Rivers State of Nigeria was recovered from 23 INEC Electoral officials.”

    On the number of firearms recovered, the Police said:  “In the first batch, 6,527 firearms were recovered = 6, 527 and 14,809 ammunition while we recovered 3,130 firearms in the second batch and 12, 185 ammunition.”

    On non-cash items, the Police said: “The Force in the fight against economic sabotage and pipeline vandalism related crimes recovered two vessels, seven speed boats, 83 trucks, 25 assorted cars including Jeeps, 36 buses, 29 motorcycles, five Speed Boat engines and 38 pumping and drilling machines and generators.”

    The Police said the operation which is still ongoing is aimed at the full enforcement of the Firearms Act, mopping-up and recovery of all prohibited firearms and illegally acquired weapons.

    The Police also said the mop-up will enable the Force deal decisively with Herders/Farmers clashes, kidnappings, armed robbery, cattle rustling, militancy and terrorism.

    The Police urged members of the Public with useful information that will assist the Police to report via the following contacts: DIG Department of Operations: 08037025670; O/C IGP Special Investigation Panel: 08035891859; O/C IGP Monitoring Unit: 08032451594 and O/C IGP Intelligence Response Team: 09098049333.

    The Force also said its commitment to guarantee protection of lives and property and recovery of government assets in the hands of unpatriotic individuals, groups or corporate bodies across the country remains unequivocal and unwavering.

  • 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 the Senate President, Bukola Saraki in court on Monday.

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

    Saraki is listed as the sole defendant in a criminal complaint made against him by an Abuja-based 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.”

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

    At the resumption of proceedings on Monday, complainant’s lawyer, E. S. Marcus noted that the defendant was absent in court. He also noted that neither the IGP nor his lawyer was in court to explain the defendant’s absence.

    Read Also: I ‘ll clinch PDP presidential ticket—Saraki

    Marcus informed 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 attend court, an application the court granted by ordering the issuance of a witness summons on the IGP.

    The witness summons dated September 10, 2018 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:

    “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.”

  • Raid on Clark’s house: IG did not order raid, says Police

    The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris on Tuesday said he did not order the raid on the residence of Chief Edwin Clark.

    The Force also said they were unaware of the raid on the Abuja residence of the Elder Statesman. The Police also said the IG has ordered the immediate detention of the four policemen and the informant involved in the raid.

    The Force Spokesman, Ag. DCP Jimoh Moshood in a statement in Abuja also stated that the IG has asked the IGP Monitoring Unit to investigate the raid.

    The statement reads: “The attention of the Nigeria Police Force has been drawn to a report on vanguard online publication of 4th September, 2018 credited to one Henry Umoru claiming that the Police on Tuesday raided the Abuja residence of Federal Commissioner for Information and South South Leader, Chief Edwin Clark.

    Read Also: Police raid Edwin Clark’s Abuja residence

    “The Force wishes to categorically state that, the Inspector General of Police is not aware and did not order the raid of the residence of the Elder Statesman, Chief Edwin Clark as claimed by the writer of the story.

    “Consequently, the Inspector General of Police has directed the detention and investigation of the four Police personnel and the informant involved.” The Force promised that the outcome of the investigation will be made public.

    Moshood also stated that the Force would not condone any form of misconduct by its personnel.

    “Notwithstanding, the facts that on daily basis the Nigeria Police Force across the Country receives information from members of the public which were promptly used to prevent and detect crimes and Criminalities, the Force will not condone misconduct by any of its personnel that can run contrary to the rule of law.”

  • PANDEF, IYC condemn Police raid on Clark’s residence

    …Group issues 48-hour ultimatum to F.G to explain action

     

    Condemnation has continued to trail the reported storming of the Asokoro, Abuja home of Ijaw national leader and convener of the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark.

    Chief Clark’s home was reportedly ransacked on Tuesday by men of the Nigeria Police, allegedly on the instructions of the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris.

    Read Also:FIFA ban: Clark calls for Sports Minister’s sack

    Condemning what it described as a humiliation and traumatization of the 91-year old former Federal Commissioner of Information, PANDEF, in a statement issued by its National Secretary, Dr Alfred Mulade, gave the federal government a 48-hour ultimatum to provide an explanation to the action of the police.

    “PANDEF condemns this very barbaric act which is tantamount to state terrorism and total disregard for his fundamental human rights and complete  disregard for established  traditional respect for age and national  service.

    “PANDEF insists that Chief EK Clark remains a symbol of our national unity and a leading voice in our search for equity, fairness and justice.  PANDEF therefore strongly condemns this unwarranted   action against one of the country’s leading statesmen by the Nigerian Police.

    “We hereby   call on the Federal  Government  to thoroughly investigate and offer  explanation,  within  the next  48 hours, this barbaric action against one of the fathers of this nation, in such a brazing manner,” said.

    In its own reaction, the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), called on President Muhammadu Buhari to call the security agencies to order before they plunged the nation into an irreversible crisis, even as it called on all other relevant stakeholders in the Nigerian project to come to the aid of the country.

    According to a statement signed by its President, Oweilaemi Pereotubo, democracy cannot survive without opposing views, noting that a person of Chief Clark’s status and contribution to the Nigerian project should not be expected to be cowed I to silence when he has views to express.

    “Relevant stakeholders need to rise in defence of our hard earned democracy. President Buhari should call his overbearing security agencies to order before they plunge the country into an unmitigated crisis. There can be no democracy where there is no dissent voice.

    “Mr. President should accept that our democracy cannot exist without opposition elements to his government. Chief Clarke is an elder statesman, his views on national issues needs to be appreciated by the government of the day instead of being witch hunting,” said.

  • 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 !”

  • IG donates cow, others to Lagos orphanage

    The Inspector General of Police (IG) Ibrahim Idris on Tuesday brought succor to children at the Safe Our Souls (SOS) Orphanage Home, Isolo, Lagos.

    He donated a cow, several bags of rice, noodles and other food items to the centre as support for the children’s upkeep.

    Idris who had earlier paid similar visits to Little Saints and Ijamido Orphanages located at Egbeda and Sango respectively, said the gesture was borne out of his belief that every child deserved a home and should be cared for.

    The police chief, who was represented by the Area D Commander, Soji Akinbayo, an Assistant Commissioner (ACP), said taking destitute children off the streets would prevent their being used by hoodlums.

    He said: “We came here to donate items to the SOS Children’s village. I  was sent by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Alhaji Ibrahim Idris  to bring these items for the use of the children here.

    “The IG is trying to introduce a new dimension into the system. He wants people to know that despite the tedious nature of our work, we are humans too and we care for the less privileged in our midst.

    Read Also: Rotary donates to orphanage

    “What we are trying to do is take some of these children off the street to avoid their being used by hoodlums to steal phones, other items. These homes were created to take abandoned children off the street and give them a family to grow in.

    “We belief that when children do not have this kind of facility to stay in and people to donate, they become vulnerable and easily take to crime. I want the children to be encouraged and take their studies seriously. They should understand that no matter their backgrounds, they still have bright futures.”

    Receiving the items on behalf of the facility, the Family Based Coordinator, Mrs. Bunmi Onifade said a total of 126 persons brought into the home have been resettled since inception.

    She said they were resettled after they graduated from higher institutions and became independent, adding that the facility had about 123 children and teenagers it was currently catering for.

    Onifade said: “We appreciate these gifts from the office of IG of Police and pray that God will replenish their pocket and their support to mankind will be noticed.”