TheNewsGuru

Tag: IGP

  • ‘Any policeman holding a gun to extort people not different from armed robber’ – IGP

    ‘Any policeman holding a gun to extort people not different from armed robber’ – IGP

    The Inspector-General of Police (IG), Mr Usman Baba, has described police personnel holding a gun to extort citizens as armed robbers

    The IG warned personnel in the country against extortion and other acts of indiscipline.

    TheNewsGuru reports that Baba gave the warning while addressing policemen on Wednesday at Police Headquarters in Gombe.

    He said discipline and professionalism were the bedrock of policing, as such the service would not condone any act of corruption and indiscipline.

    The IG, therefore, told the police personnel to live up to expectations or lose their jobs.

    Baba described extortion as a criminal offence, adding that “it’s serious and next to armed robbery, and such act have no place in the police.”

    The IG said he dismissed three policemen for irresponsible behaviors in the last three weeks.

    “Any policeman holding a gun and extorting people on the road is no different from armed robber and we cannot be having glorified armed robbers,” he warned.

    The IG, however, commended police personnel working hard to ensure security in the state and the country as a whole.

    He urged them to strengthen inter-agency cooperation, including collaboration with traditional and community leaders, to enhance security and peace across the country.

    The police boss directed the Gombe State Command to ensure the training and re-training of all personnel to keep them professionally fit to serve the nation better.

    The IG was in the state for a three-day Security and Peace Summit convened by the state government to improve security in the state.

  • Shiroro Massacre: Fire Service Chiefs, DSS DG, IGP, NSA now — HURIWA tells Buhari

    Civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately fire all his military service chiefs, the Director General of the Department of State Services, the Inspector-General of Police and National Security Adviser for gross dereliction and violation of rules of engagement.

    TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) reports this was contained in a statement on Friday declaring that “President Muhammadu Buhari ought to stop his frequent lamentations over his failings in the area of security because that is not why he was elected but to take immediate and comprehensive measures to dismiss any or all of his service chiefs now since they have manifested through their actions and inactions that they have not got what it takes to defeat terrorists just as the security Chiefs most of whom are Muslim Northerners are behaving like they are aiding and abetting the successes recorded so far by Islamic terrorists and the Fulani terrorists.”

    HURIWA reacted against the backdrop of the massacre if soldiers in Shiroro Dan a strategic national asset by Boko Haram terrorists, accusing the President “of abandoning his duty to gallivanting and globetrot meaningless over the world.”

    According to reports, at least 43 people, including 30 soldiers and seven mobile police personnel and civilians were killed when the armed men stormed the Gold mining site. They also abducted several Chinese nationals.

    HURIWA however said “the Army should cover her face in shame that it is unable to defend the territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria even when the defence sector collects the giant allocations every year from the federally released annual budgets.” It wondered why “despite the fact that the government made claims of buying equipment from all over the world, the Islamists are being allowed to crush a trained and professional Army such as the Nigerian Army.”

    The rights group said it is now certain that some saboteurs within the Army may be the moles selling the country out to Jihadists. It therefore called for the sack of all the service chiefs, asking Nigerians “not to die in silence but to stage protests to demand action from President Muhammadu Buhari to stop the widening insecurity in Nigeria.”

    HURIWA said it is unfortunate that “Nigerians are letting the government abandon its statutory duty to the citizens but failing to actively protest the heightened state of insecurity in the Country and demand the dismissal of compromised security Chiefs and the National Security Adviser who has absolutely nothing to offer.”

  • Saraki’s suit against EFCC, ICPC, others suffers setback

    Saraki’s suit against EFCC, ICPC, others suffers setback

    Hearing in a suit filed by former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and others could not proceed on Monday due to the presiding judge’s absence.

    Though the two separate suits were on number five and six on the day’s cause list, Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court, Abuja was said to be on another official engagement.

    The matters were consequently fixed for Oct. 5 for further mention.

    The court had, on May 12, fixed today (July 27) for the suits.

    Justice Ekwo had adjourned the matter to enable parties file and exchange their processes in the suit.

    The development followed non-appearance of counsel for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th respondents in the case.

    While Saraki is the applicant, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Inspector-General of Police (IGP), and State Security Service (SSS) are 1st to 3rd defendants respectively.

    Others are EFCC, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) as 4th to 6th respondents respectively.

    According to reports EFCC had, in 2019, said it would probe Saraki’s earnings between 2003 and 2011 when he was governor of Kwara.

    The commission was reported to have seized some of his houses in the Ikoyi area of Lagos then.

    However, Saraki, on May 10, 2019, filed two separate suits marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/507/19 and FHC/ABJ/CS/508/19 respectively before Justice Taiwo Taiwo to challenge the action of the EFCC.

    Justice Taiwo, who was the presiding judge, ruled on an ex parte application filed along with the substantive suits.

    The judge ordered the anti-corruption agency (4th respondent) and the other five respondents to the suits to stay action on the probe pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed by the applicant.

    The order was granted after Sunday Onubi, Saraki’s lawyer, moved the application, on May 14, 2019.
    The court had directed the parties to maintain the status quo by suspending the probe.

    But the EFCC later applied that the judge should recuse himself and the matter be transferred to another court.

    Justice Taiwo sent back the case file to the chief judge and the matter was reassigned to Justice Anwuli Chikere for adjudication.

    When the matter came up on July 14, 2021 before Justice Chikere, EFCC Counsel, Chile Okoronkwo, complained that Taiwo’s order had hindered the agency “from performing its duty for about two years now.”

    The lawyer, who stated that Saraki continued to hinge on the order of the court any time he is invited, urged the court to vacate the order.

    But the suits were reassigned to Justice Ekwo following the retirement of Chikere.

    NAN

  • Police tackles Abuja-Kaduna highway crimes with air assets

    The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba, has said the police have deployed air assets for aerial surveillance of the Abuja-Kaduna highway.

     

    The police boss explained that the assets would support ground police teams in the fight against kidnapping and banditry.

     

    The IG spoke in Abuja during a meeting with Strategic Police Managers, where the Police Specialised Service Automation Project (POSSAP) was inaugurated.

     

    Baba said the Police had strengthened its ‘Operation Restore Peace’, a Special Anti-Secessionist Operation in the Southeast, with the deployment of more special operational units and assets.

     

    He pledged the determination of the Force to employ appropriate frameworks that would engender a fair, peaceful, secure, and credible electoral process in Ekiti and Osun states as well as the general elections.

     

    “We are currently working on enhancing the capacity of officers of the Force in election security management. I have approved the conduct of an election security management training for police officers ahead of the general elections.

     

    “The training will be delivered in partnership with a training and security consultant with vast experience in election security management,” he said.

     

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that the IG hinted that the exercise would hold across the six geopolitical zones and will commence with the Northcentral Zone on August 4 in Abuja.

     

    On the inauguration, he said: “”The POSSAP, as approved by the Federal Government, is intended to ensure the standardisation of the process of offering police services.

     

    “It is also to guarantee accountability in the process and act as a source of complementary revenue which will be channelled to augment the personnel welfare and other administrative and operational needs of the Force.”

     

    He said the initiative was in line with the Strategic Revenue Growth Initiative (SRGI) of the Federal Government, which aimed at improving revenue sufficiency for critical agencies.

     

    On notable records under his leadership, he said: “From January 2022 till date, the Force has successfully effected the arrest of 328 terrorists/bandits, 325 armed robbery suspects, 339 suspects of kidnapping, and 247 suspected cultists.

     

    “Similarly, a total of 307 kidnapped victims were rescued unhurt, while 510 sophisticated firearms and 8,906 ammunition were recovered.”

  • I-GP approves promotion of 21,039 junior officers

    I-GP approves promotion of 21,039 junior officers

    The Inspector-General of Police (I-GP), Mr Usman Baba, has approved the promotion of 21,039 junior police officers, who were last promoted on or before 2017.

    The Acting Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi said this in a statement on Thursday, in Abuja.

    He said the junior officers promoted were 20,572 Sergeants to the next rank of Inspector, 324 Corporals to Sergeants, and 143 Constables to the rank of Corporal.

    Adejobi said the promotion was part of ongoing efforts to improve the welfare, conditions of service, as well as boosting the morale of personnel, to enhance efficiency.

    He also said that it was part of the I-GP’s manpower development drive to ensure that deserving officers were promoted accordingly.

    The police spokesman said the idea was to encourage hard work and further promote the culture of merit, excellence, and dedication to duties.

    Adejobi said the Force’s high command was liaising with the Police Service Commission on the release of the promotions of senior police officers.

    He said the I-GP had given the assurance that the promotion would be approved and released soon.

    According to Adejobi, the I-GP had commended the newly promoted officers for their resilience and invaluable commitment to duties, while urging them to see their promotions as a call for renewed zeal, vigour, patriotism to duty, and rededication to professional policing standards.

  • Hotelier seeks IGP help to secure freedom for kidnapped cousin

    Hotelier seeks IGP help to secure freedom for kidnapped cousin

    A Lagos hotelier, Collins Ubamachukwu Emeka, has called on the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, to ensure the 19 suspects arrested for the kidnap of his cousin, Amaechi Ogonna, reveal his whereabouts.

    Emeka, who owns Turning Touch Hotel in Oko-Afo area of the state, lamented that the suspects have been in the custody of the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Enugu, and yet have not disclosed where they kept his cousin.

    He explained that Ogonna was kidnapped as he came out from an hotel in Enugu State in October, last year.

    “He was coming out of a hotel in Enugu, on his way to a place in Enugu, when he was kidnapped. Till now, we have not seen my cousin. The kidnappers demanded for ransom and we gave, yet we have not seen him till today.

    “We involved the police. Before we involved the police, the kidnappers put a call across to us and demanded for N17million ransom, which we paid them. After the payment, till now, they have not released our brother to us.

    “The police have so far arrested 19 people in connection with the kidnap; both the people that planned it and those that executed it.”

    Emeka noted that his cousin was kidnapped since October 2021 and SCID- Enugu State was handling the case.

    According to him, the people arrested have accepted being the ones who kidnapped Amaechi but refused to disclose his whereabouts.

    He advised government at all levels to seek the assistance of mercenaries in tackling the issue of insecurity in the country.

    “Many hotels today are being affected with this issue of kidnapping in Nigeria. Most victims of kidnapping are been trailed either from hotel or home, bumper to bumper.

    “Kidnappers now pitch camp at various hotels waiting for the victim. So it has really made us loose the patronage because people are now scared of lodging in a hotel.

    “Today makes it almost six months that Amaechi has been kidnapped and those arrested have been arrested for almost five months. Some of them were arrested in November, December and January 2022,” Emeka said.

    The hotelier said he felt so bad to know that he is not secured in his own country, stressing that one cannot boast of sleeping in Nigeria with both eyes closed.

    On his personal experience with kidnappers in the state, Emeka said: “Personally, I have witnessed a situation where I was trailed by kidnappers, right from my leaving an hotel in Enugu State.

    “I noticed that a certain vehicle was coming after me, I speed up to a distance and the vehicle was still following me. They parked outside the hotel gate and as I drove out of the hotel, they followed me.

    “They tried overtaking me but I did not give them the chance till I got to a police checkpoint and parked and they drove off. I reversed and went to another direction because of their way of monitoring me.”

    He pointed out that kidnapping is in other parts of the world, not only in Nigeria.

    “The only problem is that Nigeria’s situation is getting worse than other parts of the world. Kidnapping is fast becoming a tradition in Nigeria and some take it as a business,” Emeka added.

  • Lagos hotelier appeals to IGP for assistance in securing freedom for his kidnapped cousin

    Lagos hotelier appeals to IGP for assistance in securing freedom for his kidnapped cousin

    A renowned hotelier in Lagos State, Mr. Collins Ubamachukwu Emeka, has called on the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, to ensure that the 19 suspects arrested for the kidnap of his cousin, Amaechi Ogonna, give information regarding his whereabouts.

    Emeka, who owns Turning Touch Hotel in Oko-Afo area of the state, lamented that the suspects had been in the custody of the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Enugu, and yet did not disclose where they kept his cousin.

    The hotelier explained that Ogonna was kidnapped as he came out from an hotel in Enugu State and was on his way to another place within the state.

    In his words: “He was coming out of a hotel in Enugu, on his way to a place in Enugu, he was kidnapped. Till now, we have not seen my cousin brother. The kidnappers demanded for ransom and we gave, yet we have not seen him till today.

    “We involved the police. Before we involved the police, the kidnappers put a call across to us and demanded for N17million ransom, which we paid them. After the payment, till now, they have not released our brother to us.

     

    “The police have so far arrested 19 people in connection with the kidnap of my cousin brother, both the people that planned it and those that executed it.”

     

    Emeka noted that his cousin was kidnapped since October 2021 and SCID- Enugu State was handling the case.

     

    According to him, the people arrested have accepted being the ones that kidnapped Amaechi but refused to disclose his whereabouts.

     

    He advised government at all level to seek the assistance of mercenaries in tackling the issue of insecurity in the country.

    “Many hotels today are being affected with this issue of kidnapping in Nigeria. Most victims of kidnapping are been trailed either from hotel or home, bumper to bumper.

     

    “Kidnappers now pitch camp at various hotels waiting for the victim. So it has really made us loose the patronage because people are now scared of lodging in a hotel.

     

    “Today makes it almost six weeks that Amaechi has been kidnapped and those arrested have been arrested for almost five months. Some of them were arrested in November, December and January 2022,” Emeka posited.

     

    The hotelier said he felt so bad to know that he is not secured in his own country, stressing that one cannot boast of sleeping in Nigeria with both eyes closed.

     

    On his personal experience with kidnappers in the state, Emeka said: “Personally, I have witnessed a situation where I was trailed by kidnappers, right from my leaving an hotel in Enugu State.

     

    “I noticed that a certain vehicle was coming after me, I speed up to a distance and the vehicle was still following me. They parked outside the hotel gate and as I drove out of the hotel, they followed me.

     

    “They tried overtaking me but I did not give them the chance till I got to a police checkpoint and parked and they drove off. I reversed and went to another direction because of their way of monitoring me.”

     

    He pointed out that kidnapping is in other parts of the world, not only in Nigeria.

     

    “The only problem is that Nigeria’s situation is getting worse than other parts of the world. Kidnapping is fast becoming a tradition in Nigeria and some take it as business,” Emeka added.

  • IGP says claims Kaduna is inaccessible by road, air, train untrue

    IGP says claims Kaduna is inaccessible by road, air, train untrue

    The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Alkali Usman, says the rumour making the rounds that Kaduna is inaccessible by road, air, or train is mere propaganda.

    The IGP stated this during his operational visit to the Abuja-Kaduna road on Saturday in Kaduna.

    He said the visit was to check the situation along the Abuja-Kaduna road.

    Usman noted that they have already made arrangements to secure the road.

    “My coming out today is to check the deployment we made to ensure the road is safe and also to check the deployment we have made at the scene of the train accident where repairs are taking place.

    “We have also deployed our men to assist the engineers in taking care of the situation and I want to assure the public that the propaganda going round that Kaduna is inaccessible by road, air or train is not true.

    “The road is safe for motorists and we will try our best to keep it safer.”

    He added that the visit was also to ensure that officers and men deployed to keep security on the road are performing their duties diligently.

    The IGP explained that they would work with available resources given to commands, however, he called for improvement.

    “Government is giving us the resources and in turn we are deploying them to our commands.

    Usman, responding to questions from journalists on the certainties that passengers would no longer patronize the train when restored, said “It is only a perception, the incident has happened and gone, that of course has informed us on measures to take in ensuring such a thing does not occur again”.

    He called on the troops to be diligent and dedicated in discharging their national duties.

     

  • Police: Aftermath of alleged strike, Reps to interface IGP, AGF, Fin Minister over 20% salary increase

    Police: Aftermath of alleged strike, Reps to interface IGP, AGF, Fin Minister over 20% salary increase

    Aftermath of the alleged threat by some policemen to embark on strike, the House of Representatives on Tuesday decided to interface with Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, ministers of Finance, Budget and National Planning on why the 20 percent increase approved by Mr President is yet to be implemented.

    TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) recalls some policemen had allegedly written a protest letter demanding for better working condition or embark on strike slated for last Saturday which coincided with the APC national convention.

    Other stakeholders expected at the interface include Salaries and wages commission and the Accountant General of the Federation.

    Chairman of the House committee on Police affairs, Usman Kumo called for the interface in Abuja while at a public hearing on three related bills which are: A bill for an Act to amend the Nigeria Police Act 2020 to regulate the powers of the police to promote effective collaboration between the police and other security agencies and to provide for the operational framework for community policing in Nigeria.

    Other bills are bill for an Act to amend the firearms Act laws of the federation of Nigeria 2004 to increase the fines, provide for strict prison terms and licensing fees. Bill for an Act to provide for the establishment of Nigeria Police intelligence institute.

    Mr. Kumo lamented the non implementation of the approved renumeration despite the increase of the police force 2022 budget with N10 billion as approved by President Mohammadu Buhari.

    He stressed that the police and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are supposed to be taken care of adequately especially now that transition of government is under way.

    According to him, the federal government need to do more in the funding of the Nigeria Police Force.

    Earlier in his remarks, Kumo pleaded all concerned security and agencies present to put in their wealth of experiences to proffer solutions on the deteriorating state of security in the country.

    He assured that after collating the input at the hearing, the House will be fair in dealing with the bills report.

    Declaring open the hearing, Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila assured that the House will do everything within its ambit to pass the law in order to address security challenges in the country.

    The Inspector General of Police(IGP), Usman Baba and other key stakeholders represented at the hearing said they aligned with the National Assembly in the amendment of the firearms Act and other concerned bills being proposed.

  • Alleged police strike: IG still in panic mode, order arrest of inspector

    Alleged police strike: IG still in panic mode, order arrest of inspector

    Apparently still disturbed by the alleged strike based on a leaked letter to the social media on moves to embark on strike, the police authorities have started arresting suspects within the rank and file of the force.

    TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) recalls that the Inspector General of Police, Baba Usman had last week ordered the 20percent pay increase approved by President Muhammadu Buhari to boost their morale which the authorities failed to implement until the alleged strike letter emerged online.

    Reports monitored indicated that the Nigerian police authorities have launched an operation to clampdown on officers planning to embark on industrial actions on Saturday.

    A day which fell coincidentally with ruling All Progressives Congress, APC convention which has been postponed several times.

    Some policemen had last week said they would embark on the warning strike to protest poor working conditions, poor salaries, lack of genuine welfare benefits and outdated weapons.

    A protest tagged “We are tired of negligence” is also scheduled to be held at the Eagles Square in Abuja to reiterate their demands to the Nigerian government.

    The officers condemned the continuous killing of their colleagues by armed robbers and terrorists, without adequate compensation for their families.

    They accused the Nigerian government of lying about the increment of police salary and other promised benefits and demanded improved conditions of service, particularly salary increase and provision of modern weapons as they tackle the security challenges facing the country.

    Reacting, Inspector-General of Police, Mr Usman Baba, warned the officers against such action.

    According to Baba, strike action by a lead security agency such as the police was tantamount to mutiny.

    However, the policemen insisted that there was no going back on the planned industrial action.

    A police signal exclusively obtained by SaharaReporters on Wednesday showed that one Inspector Adebimpe Olorundare had been arrested as one of the leaders of the aggrieved officers.

    Police source said Olorundare’s WhatsApp had also been diagnosed and more arrests would be made soon.