The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Inspector-General of Police

  • Police, hunter kill three robbers, recover 83 illegal arms in Bauchi

    The Inspector-General of Police ( IGP ) Monitoring Squad in collaboration with a renown Hunter, Ali Kwara, has killed three suspected armed robbers in Bauchi.

    ‎The Public Relations Officer of the Police Command in the state, DSP Kamal Datti, said in a statement on Tuesday in Bauchi that the robbers were killed during a shootout.

    ‎ “A combined team of IGP Monitoring Unit in conjunction with Bauchi renown hunter, Ali Kwara, trailed three suspected armed robbers to Maladunba forest in Misau Local Government Area while planning to attack unsuspecting members of the public.

    ‎”On sighting the team, the suspects engaged them on a fierce shootout which lasted for some minutes.

    “As a result, the three suspected armed robbers sustained fatal injuries and were taken to General Hospital, Misau, and the medical doctor on duty certified them dead,” Datti said.

    ‎According to him, three AK47 rifles; one locally fabricated double barrel gun; 210 live ammunition of 7.62mm calibre; six cartridges and six empty AK47 riffles magazines were recovered from the suspects.

    ‎”Other exhibits recovered from the suspects were: a silver-coloured Golf 3 Station Wagon with registration number AH 471 GWA; one cutlass; two pairs of police uniform and N16,900,” Datti said.

    ‎The police spokesman said that investigation into the matter had begun.

    ‎He also said that the command had recovered illegal firearms and ammunition from‎ bandits and other suspects across the state.

    “The illegal arms recovery‎ was a concerted effort following the 21-day ultimatum given by the Inspector-General Of Police ( IGP ), Ibrahim Idris, in February.

    Read Also: Police recovers arms, ammunitions in Bauchi

    ‎”The order which was extended to April 30,2018 directed individuals and groups in possession of prohibited and illegal‎ firearms to surrender them to Commissioners of Police in the states,” Datti said.

    ‎He said the commissioners of police in the states and the Federal Capital Territory ( FCT ) were also dire‎cted to set up a Joint Task Enforcement Teams to mop up, seize and recover all illegal arms from wrong hands.

    ‎” In compliance with IGP directives, the Commissioner of Police Bauchi State,Mr Sanusi Lemu, inaugurated Police Joint Task Enforcement Team.

    ‎”Consequently, the command has so far successfully recovered a total of 83 prohibited/illegal firearms and 702 live ammunition from suspected criminals and persons that voluntarily surrendered their firearms to the command,”he said.

    ‎The Police Spokesman also disclosed that the arms recovered ‎were; 30 AK47 rifles, one AK49 rifle, five single barrel guns, 20 fabricated guns and two double barrel guns.

    ‎”Other arms recovered include; four pump action guns, one K2 rifle, 20 pistols, 702 live ammunition and 70 cartridges,” he said.

    NAN

  • IGP’s disobedience of PMB’s order

    Sir: The first task of Ibrahim Idris, Inspector-General of Police (IGP), when he assumed office in 2016, was to probe Solomon Arase, his predecessor. Idris had alleged that Arase privatised official vehicles on his departure, rendering him “immobile”. The zeitgeist at the time was “fighting corruption”, and Idris was trying as much as he could to show himself an anti-corruption crusader.

    It was not long after the noise-making and showmanship that allegations of corruption punctured the IGP’s paper shield. Senator Isah Misau alleged the he was feathering his own nest by not-so kosher means – instead of reforming and strengthening the institution he heads.

    Soon reports of how this IGP impregnated a junior female officer and “surreptitiously” had her promoted rippled in the news-sphere. He did not deny impregnating his subordinate, but rationalised his action by saying that he married the officer and that there was no law prohibiting him from doing so.

    Idris’ tenure has been one of vile controversy; controversy after controversy. He is, perhaps, one of the few police officers, who have brought disrepute to the office. When the World Internal Security and Police International Index ranked the Nigeria police as the worst in the world, the IGP and his team rustled up fictive excuses to defend of their incompetence.

    Inebriated by power, Idris had two journalists – Daniel and Tim Elombah – arrested for a critical report allegedly published on their blog, the IGP’s one in many attempts to intimidate the press.

    When news of herdsmen killings in Benue broke, Idris, without carrying out any investigation said it was a “communal clash” – a streak of sycophancy. He later apologised for the gaffe, but the action showed the undertow of his underbelly.

    Little wonder that when the president asked him to relocate to Benue State to stop the killings, he only visited the state and returned to Abuja a few days later to celebrate his 59th birthday. He stayed in the Federal Capital Territory afterwards.

    It is not surprising that he flouted the president’s order. Idris is a splitting example of the average Nigerian policeman, abrasive, defensive and power drunk.

    However, I find it incredible that the president was not aware of the IGP’s dereliction of duty. One thing is clear though, it is either the president was genuinely not aware of it or was not made aware of it. In all, I think Nigerians have had enough of this IGP and his fancy of controversies.

     

    • Fredrick Nwabufo,

    <fredricknwabufo@yahoo.com>

  • Benue Killings: Buhari summons IG over breach of Presidential order

    President Mohammodu Buhari on Tuesday summoned the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to answer query as to why he breached a Presidential order to relocate to Benue following reported killings in the state.

    It would be recalled that President Buhari had on Jan. 9 directed the Inspector-General to move to Benue with a view to check the reported cases of attacks on innocent citizens in the state.

    However, President Buhari who was on official visit to Benue on Monday in continuation of his tour of troubled areas in the country was told by Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue that the Inspector-General refused to obey his directive, alleging that Idris only spent 24 hours in Benue, and later moved to neigbouring Nasarawa state.

    NAN reliably gathered that the Inspector-General was in the Presidential villa apparently to explain his flouting of the President’s order to remain in Benue at the height of the incidence between farmers and herdsmen.

    President Buhari who is believed to have summoned the IG, received him in a private audience.

    The IG left about 30 minutes after without speaking to anyone.

    ‘”`It is believed that the president demanded for a full report on police operations till date after which he will make further decisions.

    “”There is a renewed resolve to make sure that the killings and bad security situation in Benue State abates,’’ the source further confided to our correspondent.

    When contacted, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu confirmed the meeting but refused to disclose details.(NAN)

  • I wasn’t aware IGP disobeyed my directives to relocate to Benue – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday said he wasn’t the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, left Benue State for Nasarawa State after he was ordered to relocate to the state.

    He said this during a meeting with some stakeholders at the Government House in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.

    The President had on 9th of  January ordered the Inspector General of Police to immediately move to Benue State to restore law and order and prevent further loss of lives and properties, due to attacks by herdsmen in the state.

    According to him, “The governor and I, and others here know that we will leave one day, but the relationship between farmers and herders will continue. I urge you to keep in touch with them and advise them to live peacefully. Nigeria has over 250 ethnic groups with different cultures and nobody can question God for putting us together.”

    President Buhari while noting that he was not in the habit of publicly rebuking his appointees as many would desire, said that he preferred to quietly “read the riot act” as he did to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) when the Benue attacks began.

    The President disclosed that he even shared the IGP’s security report on the Benue crisis with Senators George Akume and Barnabas Gemade from the state.

    Recalling his Civil War era memories with military officers from Benue State, he noted that his nostalgic experience with such persons would never allow him to do harm to the state.

    President Buhari, while thanking God for the good rains, the successful efforts of the Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh, an indigene of Benue State, whom he described as “a great asset in my government,” said his administration would continue to empower farmers with loans by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

    Expressing delight that the agricultural policy of his administration has led to 90 per cent reduction in rice importation, he commended Ebonyi, Lagos, Kebbi, Jigawa and Benue States for “doing extremely well.”

    Reacting to what he called a “shopping list” by some stakeholders, the President enjoined them to pray for the economy to improve, noting that he would not make any promises during this trip. He, however, stressed that, “When coming back on campaign, if coming back on campaign, I may promise.”

  • Police, NSCDC to protect northeast schools (Video)

    Police, NSCDC to protect northeast schools (Video)

    The Inspector General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, on Monday said the command would provide adequate security to schools in the state.

    He said this would be in partnership with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), adding that the operations would cover public schools in three states of the northeast.

    Idris, represented by Mr Habila Joshak, Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of operations, disclosed this during an visit to Government Secondary School, Yarwa, in Maiduguri.

    “We came in here on capacity building and security assurance of the students following what happened in Dapchi Secondary School in Yobe.

    https://soundcloud.com/thenationnewspaper/police-nscdc-to-protect-northeast-schoolsigp

    “The President directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), to relocate and guarantee the safety of students and staff in all schools in the northeast; by northeast, I mean Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States.

    “We have come to ensure that that is carried out, not just anything, but a detailed and well positioned, and also with the input of the stakeholders which are the teachers, particularly the commissioners for education of these states.

    “The education supervisors, principals and teachers; including members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) serving in the schools.”

    According to him, the commands will conduct similar visit to liberated communities and schools in the affected states.

    Earlier, Mr Abdullahi Gana, the Commandant General of the NSCDC, said that the commands accorded priority to the education of children and stressed its readiness to protect them.

    [jwplayer 25JeDE1y]

    Gana noted that the visit to the School was strategic in view of its position as a host school to students from eight other schools.

    The other schools are Mafa, Monguno, Damasak, Baga, Auyo, Damboa and Bama.

    Also commenting, Hajiya Bintu Abba-Kura, the principal of the school, lauded the new school security measures adopted by the Federal Government.

    “The visit is timely because of the girls’ abduction in Dapchi, it boosted students’ morale and assured them that they are safe,” she said. (NAN)

  • I’ll keep crying until we get justice – Ortom

    I’ll keep crying until we get justice – Ortom

    Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has said he will keep speaking out on the invasion and ongoing killings in the state until the people of the state get justice.

    He spoke when a delegation of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, South South Zone, led by Archbishop God-Dowell Oyibo Avwomakpa, visited him at the Peoples House in Makurdi.

    He said if those saddled with the responsibility of protecting lives and property had acted promptly on reports which he made about threats to invade the state, subsequent massacre could have been averted.

    Governor Ortom reiterated his call for the resignation or sack of the Inspector General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, for his unprofessional conduct of taking sides with the invaders and lack of capacity to stop the killings.

    According to the Governor, the sacking of communities and killings had continued after the burial of the 73 victims adding that several security operatives had been killed and their rifles taken by the Fulani herdsmen.

    He said herdsmen attacks had become an enormous national problem which patriots across the country must rise up to tackle decisively.

    The Governor commended the people of the South-South for rallying support for the state in its time of need more than any part of the country and prayed that God would reward them.

    Earlier, Archbishop Avwomakpa called on President Muhammadu Buhari to defend the people of the state as Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the country.

    He said the delegation visited to get first-hand information so as to know how to cry to fellow Christians in other parts of the world to come to the aid of fellow Christians in Benue State.

    The delegation had also visited and donated relief items to some of those displaced by the crisis in one of the seven camps.

    Read Also: http://staging.thenationonlineng.net/ortom-senate-igp-taken-side-benue-killings/

     

  • Kidnapped Mopol Commander: Police arrest dismissed recruit, 4 others

    Kidnapped Mopol Commander: Police arrest dismissed recruit, 4 others

    The police have arrested a former  recruit and four others for allegedly kidnapping ASP Solomon Aniefiok,  the  Unit Commander of Mopol 55, based in  Aba, Abia state.

    The kidnapping gang also collected an undisclosed ransom, before the police officer was freed.

    A reliable source close to the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) confirmed the arrest to our reporter on Friday.

    The source said the suspects were arrested on Friday, stressing that they kidnapped the officer on Jan. 14, while conducting a check on his men on duty.

    Our reporter gathered that the suspects suddenly blocked and kidnapped the officer using AK-47 rifles.

    “He was eventually released three days later after ransom was paid,’’ the source said.

    Read Also: Kidnapped Mopol Commander: police arrest dismissed recruit, 4 others

    Irked by the development, IGP Ibrahim Idris was said to have deployed the Intelligence Response Team to Abia.

    “Based on the IGP’s directive, one of the best IRT teams was deployed and after six days of unrelenting follow up, five of the kidnappers were arrested alive and one died during a gun battle with IRT operatives.

    “Exhibits recovered are: one AK-47 Rifle with S/No. 56-2550382 with two Magazines and 60 live ammunition, one Barretta Service Pistol of the Mopol Unit Commander.

    “Other items include one locally made pistol and two cartridges, one police bullet proof jacket, one police vest, two head warmers, one Mopol jungle cap among others,” the source said.

    Our reporter further gathered that one of the suspects and ring leader of the kidnapping gang was a recruit dismissed  in 2006.

     

    NAN

  • Benue: IG vows to apprehend, prosecute perpetrators

    Benue: IG vows to apprehend, prosecute perpetrators

    The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, on Wednesday reiterated the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to apprehend and prosecute perpetrators of new year killings in Benue.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday ordered the IG to move to Benue, to restore law and order and forestall the crisis from escalating in the state.

    Herdsmen on new year day attacked and killed 50 persons in Logo and Guma local government areas of the state.

    Idris, who made the promise during the stakeholders meeting in Makurdi, assured that anyone involved in the killings would be brought to book.

    The police boss said the meeting was geared toward finding the lasting solution to the crisis that bedevilled some communities of the state.

    He said police would not rest until the perpetrators of the killings were arrested.

    He added that “I want to assure you that the police will not rest on its oars until these hoodlums are apprehended and brought to justice.

    “We are conducting an investigation into the killings and will take appropriate action against perpetrators of the heinous crime.

    “I want to assure you that police have put in place security measures to checkmate activities of  miscreants.”

    Idris also promised to take appropriate action against anyone carrying arms around.

    He enjoined the people to give the police actionable intelligence that would lead to a further arrest of criminal elements.

    The IG, who kicked against the clamour for deployment of the military, said they could only intervene when the police were overwhelmed.

    He said the force had deployed 660 personnel from some units to complement the security architecture in Benue.

    He noted that the force was determined to create a safe and secure environment for the people of the state and Nigeria as a whole.

  • Peace Corps asks court to hold IGP for contempt

    Peace Corps asks court to hold IGP for contempt

    The Peace Corps of Nigeria wants the Federal High Court, Abuja, to commit the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris to prison for alleged disregard of court orders.

    The corps in Form 48 on Contempt of Court filed on Wednesday prayed the court to jail Idris to serve as deterrent to others in position of authority.

    The contempt charge against the IGP was premised on the alleged refusal of the police to vacate the headquarters of the organisation which it sealed on Feb. 28, during its official commissioning.

    The suit was predicated on a judgment in a fundamental human rights suit delivered by Justice Gabriel Kolawole on Nov. 9.

    Kolawale in the judgment, ordered the police to unseal the corporate head office of the corps in Abuja.

    He also ordered the police to pay the corps N12 million as damages for infringing on its rights to own property and for freedom of movement.

    Read also: Peace Corps: Why AGF should compel police to obey court order

    The suit was instituted by the National Commandant of the Corps, Mr Dickson Akoh and 49 others.

    Speaking to newsmen, Akoh said that his organisation had been pushed to the wall to institute the contempt charge against the police boss.

    “The organisation has secured seven different judgments from different courts, all barring the police from arresting detaining, harassing or intimidating our officers in the course of their lawful duties,’’ he said.

    Akoh said that his officers would not take laws into their hands but would continue to approach the court for intervention.

    NAN

  • Abductors of PDP chair demand N100m – Police confirm

    Abductors of PDP chair demand N100m – Police confirm

    Kaduna Police Command has confirmed that, kidnappers of former Minister of Sports and Plateau State Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Damishi Sango, and four others have demanded for N100m ransom.

    This was coming even as Inspector General of Police, Idris Ibrahim directed anti-kidnapping squad and other anti-crime teams to comb the bushes between Jos, Kaduna and Abuja and rescue the victims who were abducted by gunmen at Kurmi Jibril in Kagarko local government area of Kaduna State on their to Abuja on Wednesday.

    Other persons abducted alongside the PDP Chairman are one of the party elders in Plateau State, Chief Emmanuel Mangni, Sango’s son, his driver and his police orderly.

    The Spokesman for the command, ASP Mukhtar Aliyu who confirmed this in Kaduna on Friday said, combined efforts have been intensified to rescue them from their abductors as soon as possible.

    According to him, “yes we are aware of the development but IGP has ordered the anti-kidnapping and other rescue teams to comb the bushes around Jos, Kaduna and Abuja for their rescue.

    “We are also aware that the criminals made contact, demanding for N100 million ransom before they could be released.

    “But the Police is working hard to make the country safer. We are recording successes in our fight against crime and there is always room for improvement which we are doing. We have mounted surveillance to rescue them. Members of the public should continue avail the police useful information that can lead to arrest of criminal elements in our society”, he said.

    The victims were said to have been traveling to Abuja in their private vehicle to attend the national convention of PDP scheduled to hold on Saturday when they were intercepted and abducted on the fateful day about 52 kilometers to their destination.