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Tag: IG

  • PDP blasts IG for snubbing Senate invitation

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has criticised the repeated snub of Senate’s invitation by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, and described the attitude as “an assault on Nigeria’s democracy”.

    Recall that Idris, who was expected to appear before the Senate on Tuesday, failed to show up. It was the third time the Police boss was failing to honour such invitation.

    Irked by that behaviour, the Senate on Tuesday passed a vote of no confidence on the IGP and declared him unfit to hold any public office.

    The PDP, in its reaction to the development, said that it was “very wrong” for the IGP to ignore the invitation, saying that he had missed a chance to share ideas with the lawmakers on ways to tackle the insecurity in the nation,

    “His (IGP)’s refusal to honour the invitation is a deliberate assault on Nigeria’s democracy; it is a willful denigration of the National Assembly and a recourse to totalitarianism,” the party said in a statement signed by Kola Ologbondiyan, its National Publicity Secretary.

    The PDP said that it was “unfortunate” that Idris had, for the third time, shunned the Senate invitation over the worsening security situation in the nation.

    “Never in our democratic history as a people and as a nation, has a service chief treated the National Assembly with disdain like the current IGP.

    “All over the world, the legislature is a bastion of democracy and our constitution, in recognition of this, provides a special place for our National Assembly, as the representatives of the people, to serve as a check on the executive arm.

    “We, therefore, condemn this offensive on our democracy by IGP Idris. We also condemn the deliberate insult being heaped on each of our legislators by appointees of President Muhammadu Buhari,’’ the party said.

    The PDP urged the President of the Senate and other senators to protect the institution of the legislature and the country’s democracy by not limiting their action only to finding Ibrahim Idris as “unfit” to hold public office.

    “The Senate should take the next step within their legislative instrument and powers to restore the respect and dignity which the generality of Nigerians and the 1999 Constitution (as amended), bestowed on them,” the statement said.

  • [JUST IN] Former Police IG, Sunday Ehindero docked for alleged fraud

    A former Inspector General of Police, Sunday Ehindero, was on Thursday re-arraigned alongside a former police commissioner, John Obaniyi, on a six-count charge for alleged fraud.

    The defendants were arraigned at an Apo District High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

    They were accused of misusing N578 million (N557,995,065) donated by the Bayelsa State Government for the purchase of arms.

    According to the charge, the fund was diverted into separate accounts owned by the defendants, where it generated an interest of N16,412,315.

    The generated interest was allegedly used for the defendant’s personal objectives.

    The charge also alleged that the defendants lied to officials of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, ICPC, when they told two of the commission’s staff upon enquiry about the diverted funds, that the generated interest was used for official purposes.

    The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    Messrs Ehindero and Obaniyi were first arraigned in 2012 by the ICPC for the alleged offences.

    They, however, filed a preliminary objection, challenging the competence of the charge against them and asked the trial court to suspend their trial pending the determination of the appeal at the higher court.

    Following an order of the Supreme Court in December, however, the defendants were told to return to the trial court and face the charge against them.

    After taking their pleas, the court admitted the defendants on bail, based on the previous conditions and adjourned the matter to June 19.

  • BREAKING: Senate vows to punish police IG for ignoring third invitation

    BREAKING: Senate vows to punish police IG for ignoring third invitation

    Embarrassed by the continuous disregard for the Nigerian senate, senators have suggested that a drastic decision should be reached on The Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, who has for the third time, failed to appear before the Senate.

    Idris had been summoned to address the Senate on the alleged inhuman treatment of Senator Dino Melaye during his arrest and detention by the police over alleged gun-running; and the spate of killings by armed herdsmen and militias across the country.

    While the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Operations), Mr. Joshak Habila, had been sent to represent the police boss the previous times, there was no representation on Wednesday (today).

    The Majority Leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan, who said efforts by him to reach out to the IG in two days failed, described the non-appearance as “unusual and unfortunate.”

    Also, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha called for a closed session for the lawmakers to determine the action to be taken by the Senate against the IG.

    “We need to take a very drastic action. We cannot take this embarrassment any longer. This is a national disgrace,” he said.

    Similarly, Senator Isa Misau pointed out that a senator is superior to the IG by the provisions of the Constitution and could be invited by any of the lawmakers.

    He also noted that sections 88 and 89 of the Constitution empowers the legislature to summon the Police boss.

    According to him, the development is embarrassing to the country and also to President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Commenting, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe said Nigeria’s democracy was dying in bits and that the IG’s non-appearance was an abuse of government power.

  • Melaye: Saraki, Dogara report Police IG to Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday met behind closed doors with the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki; and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara.

    The meeting was held inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja shortly after Buhari returned from his weekend trip to his hometown, Daura in Katsina State.

    At the end of the meeting, Saraki and Dogara told State House correspondents that they reported the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to the President over his handling of the case involving Senator Dino Melaye and his disdain for the National Assembly.

    They also said the meeting which was at the instance of the President discussed the issue of the 2018 Appropriation Bill still before the National Assembly, the recent invasion of the Senate during which the mace was taken away and the fallouts or Buhari’s recent visit to the United States of America during which he met the US President, Donald Trump.

    They, however, said the issue of the impeachment process being contemplated in the National Assembly over Buhari’s approval for the payment of $496m for fighter jets before he sought the approval of the Federal lawmakers was not discussed at the meeting.

    “We came on the invitation of Mr. President. He wanted to brief us on his trip to the United States and also the issue of the budget.

    “We also talked on the issue of concerns to us: the invasion of the National Assembly, which he showed great concern and he said action will be taken to investigate that,” Saraki said.

    When asked when the budget will be ready, Saraki said, “Hopefully, it should be laid this week. If it can be laid this week and passed early next week. We are hoping it will be laid this week.”

    Saraki said the President saw the invasion of the Senate as an embarrassment to the country and promised that the incident would be properly investigated because it was not just about the National Assembly but about the country.

    When asked what was being done to improve the relationship between the executive and the legislature, Saraki said the National Assembly had always been ready to support the Executive.

    “Our being here was the initiative of Mr. President to brief us on his visit to America and to engage in discussions and I think that is a good sign.

    “We, at the National Assembly, have always been ready to give all our support to the executive and we will continue to work along those lines.

    “As I said, the presidential system that we operate, we sometimes have the responsibility to check the excesses of the executive. So, there will always be times we will disagree but by and large, we will always work for the interest of Nigerians and always keep on moving on,” he said.

  • Senate orders IG to parade suspects arrested over invasion, mace theft

    The Senate has asked the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to order the immediate parade of the six suspects who invaded its chamber and stole the mace in April.

    Recall that suspected thugs had, on April 18, 2018, invaded the Senate chamber while plenary was ongoing and made away with the symbol of authority of the legislature.

    Photographs of the suspects arrested by the police on the National Assembly premises had gone viral on the Internet but they had yet to be paraded and charged with the prosecution.

    Speaking with newsmen on Friday, the Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Ben Murray-Bruce, alleged that the suspects probably had the backing of some top government officials.

    He said, “I think it is common sense that when the police arrest crime suspects, they parade them. Kidnappers are paraded. But some people broke into the National Assembly and they were not paraded.

    “The police should tell Nigerians why the suspects have not been paraded; they (police) should come and explain. It is very disgusting and annoying that this thing happened some weeks ago, and they have not paraded the suspects, but petty thieves are being paraded every day.

    “Those who invaded the National Assembly rode in an SUV valued at about N50m. I leave the rest to your imagination.”

    The day after the attack, the Senate had resolved to summon Idris and the Director-General of the Department of State Services, Lawal Daura, to brief the lawmakers on the circumstances surrounding the invasion and the mace theft.

    The upper chamber had insisted that the security lapses at the National Assembly Complex, which made the suspects to successfully commit the crime, must also be investigated.

    President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, after a prolonged closed-door session on April 24, announced that the Senate and the House of Representatives had resolved to form a joint committee that would probe the circumstances surrounding the attack.

    The panel, which was mandated to grill the IG and DSS boss, would also discuss how to protect the building and its environs with the security chiefs.

    On April 26, when the police boss failed to appear before the Senate over the arrest and detention of Senator Dino Melaye and the spate of killings across the country, the Senate President had alleged that Buhari appointees were creating problems for him.

  • [UPDATED] Again, IG snobs Senate, sends DIG to appear

    For the second time running, the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris failed to appear before the Senate over the arrest and detention of Senator Dino Melaye last week.

    A police source who does not want to named said the IG was being represented by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Joshak Habila and is currently waiting to be called into the Senate chamber at the office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang.

    The source also said that the IG had arrived at the National Assembly ‎Complex while the Senate had begun a closed-door session.

    The Senate had, last Thursday, rejected taking Habila, while the IG accompanied President Muhammadu Buhari to Bauchi State during his official visit.

    The IG will also brief the lawmakers on what the police and other security agencies are doing to stop the incessant killings across the country.

     

  • Senate summons Police IG, DG DSS over invasion, stolen mace

    Sequel to the invasion of the Senate and subsequent theft of the mace by some thugs suspected to be loyal to a suspended member, Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege, the leadership of the Senate has resolved to summon the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, and the Director-General of the Department of State Security Services (DSS), Lawal Daura.

    Recall that the mace was stolen from the Senate chamber on Wednesday.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that at about 11:50 a.m., a Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Habila Joshak, handed over the mace to the clerk of the National Assembly, Mohammed Sani-Omolori, after it was said to have been found under a bridge in Abuja.

    After over one hour of closed-door session on Thursday, the presiding officer, Ike Ekweremadu, confirmed the retrieval of the mace.

    “This hallowed chamber supported by the House of Representatives demanded that the Inspector-General of Police recover and return the stolen mace to the Senate within 24 hours. Concerned colleagues and Nigerians who wanted to find out if the mace has been found have inundated me with calls and messages since last night. Let me therefore formally confirm to you that the mace has been recovered and returned by the police as demanded by this hallowed chamber.”

    Ekweremadu announced the intention of the Senate to invite Idris and Daura next week to brief them on whatever they have found out in their investigation of the matter.

    He added that the lawmakers have resolved that appropriate sanctions be meted out to all security personnel and individuals fingered in the invasion.

    “Nevertheless, we believe there should be consequences for bad behaviour. We swore to uphold the laws of Nigeria and the principles of rule of law. It still beats the imagination of Nigerians and the civilised world that the attackers passed through several security checks and barriers of the National Assembly and gained access into this chamber and also escaped with the mace into the thin air despite the well-known fortified surroundings of this parliament. Therefore, we ruled that it will be a detour to the state of nature when life was lawless and brutish if what happened yesterday was allowed to go unpunished or to be swept under the carpet. It will never happen. We’ll get to the root of this matter.

    “We therefore call on the Inspector-General of Police and DG SSS to ensure that all those who plotted, aided, abetted and executed this dastardly affront on our democracy and belittled Nigeria before the international community must be brought to book to serve as deterrence to others. We will be inviting them next week to brief us.”

    The Deputy Senate President however used the opportunity to again advocate for a decentralised police system which he said would have prevented the attack.

    He said, “This incident has also brought to the fore the case many have always made for the decentralised police system. Ordinarily, a big institution like the National Assembly should have its own police apart from the sergeant-at-arms. However, the security of this parliament is fully outside the control of the National Assembly. Instructively, the same gangsterism that was witnessed here yesterday has been recorded in various state houses of assemblies.

    “I want to assure Nigerians that we will never waver in the responsibilities they have elected us to shoulder. We will all stand together to defend this institution of the parliament and our democracy. We will never fear to legislate and we will never legislate out of fear.”

  • Offa robbery: IG deploys three mobile force units to Kwara, Taraba

    The Inspector-General of Police( (IG), Ibrahim Idris, has ordered the deployment of three units of Police Mobile Force ( PMF), high powered police investigation team and Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) to Kwara.

    The Force spokesman, ACP Jimoh Moshood, in a statement in Abuja on Sunday, said anti-robbery equipment and 10 crew members were also deployed to the state.

    Moshood said three additional PMF units were also deployed to Taraba to prevent further attacks in Donga and Bali Local Government Areas by gunmen.

    Recall that armed robbers attacked five commercial banks in Offa, Kwara on April 5, during which 17 persons, including policemen and a pregnant woman died.

    He said that the units which had arrived kwara would cover Offa and its environs as well as other vulnerable points in the state.

    The spokesman added that the police teams would carry out intelligence gathering and raids on identified criminal and other flash points in the states.

    He said that the team deployed to Kwara, working in synergy with the State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department in the state had arrested eight suspects connected with the bank robbery.

    The force spokesman said the unit deployed to Taraba would cover Donga, Bali, Lau, Gassol, Karim Lamido Local Government Areas and other flash points in the state.

    Moshood said that the team had also arrested 12 suspects directly responsible for the recent killings in Donga and Bali Local Government Areas.

    He said that items recovered from the suspects were: seven AK 47 rifles, four locally made revolver pistols and 30 rounds of AK 47 ammunition.

    Others were seven operational vehicles used by the armed robbers and assailants in the two incidents.

    Moshood called on the residents of the states to be calm, support the police and promptly report suspicious acts or persons to the nearest police detachment or station for prompt action.

     

     

  • Withdrawal of policemen from VIPs: ‘I’m the target…IG wants me killed’ – Melaye

    Possession of firearms: Police allegations laughable

    Senator Dino Melaye has described as preposterous and laughable, the allegations by the police that he hired two political thugs and armed them to cause mayhem in Kogi State, while stressing that the order demanding withdrawal of policemen from Very Important Persons, VIPS is targeted at him.

    The police in Lokoja said they have charged the senator with illegal possession of firearms in a case filed in a Lokoja court on 16 March.

    Charged along with the senator were another politician, Muhammed Audu , said to be on the run and two other ‘deadly’ persons linked with a spate of kidnapping and robbery.

    One of the two suspects was identified as a 31 year-old Kabiru Saidu, a.k.a Osama. T
    The other was Nuhu Salisu, who is 25 years-old,

    The duo were arrested in January. Police claimed they had confessed that they were also working as thugs for Senator Melaye.

    “Fabricated lies by Kogi State Govt and the police will fail. It’s utterly laughable and preposterous. It’s a sign of desperation”, the embattled Senator tweeted today.

    “No amount of lies and blackmail will detract my attention from speaking the truth and defending it”, he said.

    Melaye also claimed that the withdrawal of police from VIPs, announced by the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, was targeted at him.

    “I am the target. IG wants to expose me so I can be killed. Having survived assassination attempt twice, I deserve police protection in a country where I’m a tax payer”, he wrote.

    At a press conference in Lokoja today, the police spokesman Jimoh Moshood, said the police seized from the thugs and their gang members , two AK47 rifles, five pump action guns, two locally made pistols and heaps of charms.

    According to the police, the men not only confessed to have been involved in several kidnappings in the state and environs, they also claimed to be hired thugs for politicians.

    “According to the gang leader, Osama, he has been working as a political thug for one Alhaji Mohammed Audu a Politician in the State.

    ” He said Alhaji Mohammed Audu invited him to Abuja and introduced him to Senator Dino Melaye and they met on Airport road, Abuja inside the Senator Dino Melaye’s Car in the month of December, 2017.

    “The suspect further confessed that Sen. Dino Melaye told him that they should start working for the Senator as his political thugs and they should recruit and train more other(sic) thugs to work for him in preparation toward 2019 General election to enable him ( Sen. Dino Melaye ) challenge his political opponents and disorganised Kogi State.

    The police said Osama further confessed that Melaye handed over a bag containing one AK47 rifle, two Pump Action guns and the N430,000.00 to share with his boys.

    “Consequent on the indictments and criminal confessions against Senator Dino Melaye by the principal suspect KABIRU SAIDU a.k.a OSAMA “31 YRS”, Nigeria Police Force, wrote a letter dated 2nd of March, 2018 addressed to the Senate President, Federal Republic of Nigeria informing and requesting him to release Senator Dino Melaye to report to Commissioner of Police, Kogi State Command on the 7th March, 2018 to answer to criminal offences levelled against him, to enable the Police carry out a discreet investigation into the confessions of the principal suspect against Senator Dino Melaye. But Senator Dino Melaye have refused to honour the Police invitation till date.

  • BREAKING: Police IG withdraws policemen attached to VIPs

    The Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, on Monday ordered the withdrawal of all police offices attached to Very Important Persons, including political and public office holders nationwide.

    The police boss, who announced this in Abuja during a conference with senior officers, stated that the directive also affected private businessmen, multi-national companies and other corporate organizations who are enjoying special police protection.

    To this end, Idris explained that a task force had been constituted at the Force headquarters under the command of ACP Mohammed Dankwara to ensure compliance to the directive while state commissioners of police are to replicate same at their commands.

    Announcing his plans to withdraw the policemen on private guard duty, the IG said, “In view of the current security challenges in the country, it has become expedient for the Nigeria Police Force to streamline the deployment of its personnel attached to political and public office holders, aimed at enhancing effective and efficient policing of the country.

    “To this effect, a memo will be forwarded to the President for approval which will serve as a guideline or template for deployment to VIPs, political and public office holders in the country. Accordingly, a directive for withdrawal of all police officers deployed to VIPs, political and public office holders with immediate effect, is hereby given,” he stated.’

    Idris, however, explained that businessmen, corporate organisations and individuals who required special police protection and “are found worthy,” would be considered by the Special Protection Unit of the force on application for re-validation through the state Commissioners of Police where they are resident.

    “By so doing, I am charging the Commissioners of Police with the responsibility of supervising such official deployment and thereby holding them accountable,” the police chief informed his audience consisting of senior police officers.

    The IG bemoaned the abuse of police Supernumerary number plates and the illegal use of siren and covering of vehicle number plates by motorists and warned the culprits to desist.

    He directed the holders of the police SPY number plates to return them to the Force Transport Officer and apply for re-validation.

    He also asked the state CPs to enforce the directive and arrest violators, adding that the list of task force teams that would ensure compliance to the order should be sent to the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Operations, by March 31, 2018.