The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Tsav

  • Tsav: Alkali’s murder can erode faith in our security

    Elder statesman and former Lagos State Commissioner of Police Abubakar Tsav has said the abduction and murder of Maj.-Gen Idris Alkali in Dura-Du in Plateau State can erode faith in the protection of the country.

    Tsav, in a letter to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, observed that what happened in Dura-Du had enough weight to replicate the Odi and Zaki Biam tragedies in reprisals.

    He hailed Buratai for not taking the path of reprisal following the demise of Gen. Alkali.

    Tsav urged the Army chief not to be deterred by the murder, urging him not to give up in his efforts to make Nigeria a peaceful entity.

    The letter reads: “I appeal to  use your good offices to impress on all the relevant security agencies never to  relent, until justice is done to the late Army General by ensuring all  the  perpetrators  fingered in the heinous act are arrested and  prosecuted.

    “The sad incident is a serious temptation, capable of eroding in your faith in the protection of your fatherland.  But I plead, it should rather rekindle your determination. We all know, your exemplary leadership of the counter-insurgency operations and Nigerian Army have proved convincingly of a rebranded Army and troops.

    “The Army  have executed this national assignment with dedication, patriotism, selflessness,    uncommon determination and countless sacrifices to the admiration of Nigerians.

    “As a retired police officer, I know exactly the burden of policing and securing Nigeria from destructive forces. Therefore, I have no iota of doubt about the enormous and daunting challenges, which assailed you and the Nigerian troops in the course of tackling Boko Haram insurgency and similar insurrections.

    “But through sheer hard work, you surmounted these obstacles to decimate and defeat the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria. We are proud of you and our troops.

    “I feel and indeed, all Nigerians know they owe the commander-in-chief, and Nigerian troops, a debt of gratitude in appreciation. I pledge never to flinch in my support to the Army, at the same time.

    “I have resolved never to hesitate in  raising a voice against the conspiratorial vilification, unjust persecution and  crucification of your the Nigerian Army as well as its officers  and personnel. It will be the height of injustice to turn our eyes away from how you are ever treated by the public.”

  • Tsav to defecting politicians: You lack political ideology

    Former  Lagos Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav has lambasted defecting Nigerian politicians for lacking political ideology. He said  they were in politics to sustain themselves.

    Tsav who was reacting to the defection of 15 senators and Gov Samuel Ortom from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) said the behaviour clearly confirms that Nigerian politicians lack ideology.

    Gov Samuel Ortom, on Tuesday formally defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He had said last week that he was available outside the pitch to be recruited by another party after the state APC had given him a red card.

    Tsav told the News of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Makurdi that those defecting lack any  political ideology as they were in politics to sustain themselves.

    He said the youths whose future was being destroyed by the actions and inactions of these crop of politicians were regrettably celebrating their actions.

    “The current defections and counter defections of our politicians from one political party to another sadly confirm that our politicians are deeply corrupt and without ideology.

    “Most of them are in politics to sustain themselves with stolen money but not to serve the electorate. How can we grow and develop as a Nation?

    “Unfortunately the youths whose future is being wantonly destroyed jubilate over this. God help Nigeria.” he said (NAN)

  • Alleged libel: Court freezes Tsav’s accounts

    Justice Maurice Ikpambese of Makurdi High Court has ordered all accounts belonging to former Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, be frozen with immediate effect.

    He gave the order while ruling on a Motion exparte No. MHC/1616M/2017.

    The judge upheld the ruling in suit No. MHC/251/15 bordering on a libelous publication against Senior Special Assistant to Governor Samuel Ortom on Special Duties, Abrahams Kwaghngu.

    Tsav had been ordered to pay Kwaghngu N10million as damages caused him due to the publication.

    The former Lagos Commissioner of Police had described the governor’s aide as a “killer” and “thug” in Nigeria Pilot newspaper published by Dom Communications LTD.

    The judge held judgments of the courts were to be enforced and not swept under the carpet, citing Section 83 of the Sheriffs and Civil Process Act, 2004, which enjoins all garnishees who are stakeholders in the enforcement process to oblige in the interest of the rule of law.

    Investigations revealed Tsav, who is the Public Complaints Commissioner in Benue State, could not withdraw money from his account in one of the branches of an old generation bank in Abuja last Wednesday.

  • Tsav arraigned, granted bail

    Tsav arraigned, granted bail

    A Chief Magistrates’ Court in Makurdi, Benue State, has granted the Public Complaints Commissioner in Benue State, Abubakar Tsav, bail in the sum of N500,000, to allow for out-of-court settlement of the issue between him and the state government.

    Tsav’s lawyer, Anthony Agadah, told the court of his client’s decision to settle out of court as, according to him, two meetings were held yesterday to resolve the issues.

    Andrew Wombo, who appeared for the complainant, corroborated Agadah’s statement.

    Chief Magistrate Isaac Ajim, who noted that an out-of-court settlement is part of justice, granted Tsav a bail of N500,000.

    He adjourned the matter till September 19 for mentioning and hearing of the preliminary objections.

    As at press time yesterday, Tsav was still at the court processing his bail.

  • Ortom to Tsav: apologise

    Ortom to Tsav: apologise

    Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has demanded a retraction and public apology from Abubakar Tsav, as a condition for the withdrawal of the suit  against him by the Attorney-General and Justice Commissioner, Michael Gusa.

    Ortom, who addressed reporters after meeting with a delegation from the Public Complaints Commission yesterday, said the criteria was imperative for the amicable resolution of the matter, following the intervention of the delegation.

    He said Tsav’s position on his administration, and the petitions against him and other government officials, were based on false information.

    Chief Commissioner of the Public Complaints Commission Mr. Emmanuel Ogbile said the delegation interacted with Ortom as part of efforts to resolve the differences between Tsav and the Ortom-led government.

    He said the meeting was successful and hoped the issues would be resolved amicably.

     

  • Resign now, Ortom tells Tsav

    Resign now, Ortom tells Tsav

    BENUE State Governor, Samuel Ortom, on Wednesday called for immediate resignation of the Federal Commissioner, Public Complaints Commission in charge of Benue State, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav for abdicating the responsibility of his exalted office. The governor who spoke through his Special Adviser on Media and ICT, Mr Tarhav Agerzua, at a press conference held in Makurdi said that the call was necessitated by the recent high court judgment in the state. He insisted that Abubakar Tsav should resign his position as federal commissioner, Public Complaints Commission and join them in politics so that they can face one another on a political platform.

    Tarhav said that Alhaji Tsav’s conduct so far had indicated that he has abdicated the responsibility of his office and descended into the political arena. “I am calling on Tsav to honourably resign his appointment with the Public Complaint Commission where he is serving as a commissioner in Benue State because he has been using his office to attack Governor Ortom. “Making spurious allegation against the governor and the kernel of my call is that having been convicted by court of law in the state he should resign immediately and if he chooses not to resign we are sending letter to the national assembly. “As Ombudsman, he is expected to be fair in all issues before him, but he has chosen to be partisan and we expect him to resign and join politics.”

    The governor spokesman disclosed that, already, a State High Court presided over by Justice Maurice Ikpambese, had ordered the Commissioner, Public Complaints Commission, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, to pay N10m as damages to Mr. Abrahams Kwaghngu, senior special assistant on special duties to Governor Samuel Ortom, for libel. Reacting to the call, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, said whether he is a Public Complaints Commissioner or not, he shall continue to criticise corruption, nepotism and injustice, adding that his responsibility is not to team up with a corrupt government to perpetrate acts of injustice against the ordinary people but rather to be watch Dog for social justice. On the N10m judgement suit slammed on him by Benue State High Court Makurdi, Tsav said there was grave of miscarriage of justice in the case, stating that his lawyer is appealing the judgement.

  • Court orders Tsav to pay N10m for libel

    A Makurdi High Court, presided over by Justice Maurice Ikpambese, has ordered Alhaji Abubakar Tsav and the a newspaper to pay N10 million, jointly and severally, as damages to Governor Samuel Ortom’s aide, Mr. Abrahams Kwaghngu, for libel.

    They were also ordered to publish a retraction of the defamatory publication in three dailies, as well as a paid advertorial on the prime beat of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Radio Benue, and Harvest FM.

    Mr. Kwaghngu instituted a suit against Tsav and the newspaper, for describing him as a “killer, thug, and vandal”, who killed Hausa and Kabawa people during a 2013 crisis in Gbajimba.

    He was also accused of destroying their property, as contained in a story published in the Pilot Newspaper of August 31, 2015.

    Justice Ikpambese said: “Considering the falsity of the story, the first defendant had no moral, social or legal interest or duty to have published it.

    “It is an abuse of powers for the first defendant to enlarge his coast by renewing and wading into Gbajimba crisis, when he found nothing against the plaintiff during the Gen. Atom Kpera-led panel.”

    Mr. Kwaghngu was happy that the court restored his dignity. He said it was sad that a man, old enough to be his father, tried to tarnish his image.

  • Ex-police boss Tsav petitions Rights Commission

    Ex-police boss Tsav petitions Rights Commission

    The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said yesterday that it has received a petition from former Lagos State Police Commissioner Abubakar Tsav alleging gross human rights abuses, including extra-judicial killings, in Gboko, Benue State.

    NHRC’s Chief Public Affairs Officer Fatimah Agwai Mohammed said, in a statement, that Tsav, in the 11-page petition, accused the police and some highly placed politicians of murder and connivance with known criminals.

    Tsav was said to have expressed concern about the alleged plan to carry out mass burial of bodies at the mortuary of the Gboko General Hospital without the public knowing the cause of the deaths and reporting same to the coroner for possible inquest.

    Mrs. Mohammed said: “The retired Police Commissioner ,who said his concern is adherence to the rule of law, respect for human rights and the sanctity of human life, a corruption-free society and the fear of God, has called on the NHRC to take appropriate action on the petition in line with its constitutional responsibilities and requirement.”

    The NHRC’s spokesperson said the agency’s Executive Secretary, Professor Bem

  • Ex-police chief Tsav faults Jonathan’s war against Boko Haram

    A former Lagos State Police Commissioner Abubakar Tsav has criticised President Goodluck Jonathan’s fight against Boko Haram insurgents.

    He alleged that the President is not honest with the process.

    The retired police commissioner noted that Dr Jonathan’s anti-terror crusade poses more questions than answers.

    According to him, there are doubts on who were responsible for the kidnap of elder statesman, Alhaji Shettima Ali Monguno.

    Tsav questioned the possibility of Boko Haram insurgents kidnapping the former Petroleum Minister when the area was swarming with security operatives.

    The former police chief also decried the spate of violence occasioned by frequent clashes between the insurgents and the Joint Task Force (JTF) operatives.

    He said: “…Borno and Yobe states have been turned into war zones. About 350 streets in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, are blocked by the JTF. These apart, mosques and churches are normally provided with armed security during Friday prayers and Sunday church services. So, how was it possible for Boko Haram to kidnap Alhaji Monguno after the Jumat prayers and in broad daylight without any reaction from the JTF? Or, were they withdrawn from the mosque?”