Former Director of New Media of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and Convener, Concerned Nigerians, Prince Deji Adeyanju, on Monday called for the immediate suspension of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Kpotum Idris, to make room for a free and fair investigation into the allegation raised against his office by the Senator representing Bauchi Central in the National Assembly, Hamman Isah Misau.
Senator Misau had accused the IGP Idris of collecting about N120 billion as bill for special security services to corporate bodies, such as oil firms, and highly placed individuals through a process he called “series of fraudulent practices in the running of the Nigerian Police.”
Adeyanju, while addressing journalists in Abuja, said the allegations should not be swept under the carpet but should be thoroughly investigated by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and those found culpable prosecuted as part of measures to rid the Nigerian Police Force of corruption.
The activist urged President Muhammadu Buhari to use his good offices to order the arrest and probe of the IGP as demonstration of his resolve to fight graft taking in the public sector.
He said: “Just yesterday we watched on Channels TV how a serving Senator from Bauchi alleged that the Inspector-General of Police got N120bn as bribe from oil companies and banks.
“Instead of the IGP to make efforts to clear his name, the Police hierarchy claimed that the APC Senator who alleged that the IGP collected N120bn was a desserter; stressing that he left the Police Force in 2010 and did not resign properly.
“The question remains; did the IGP collect this money or not?
“We are happy that Buhari is back. Let him fight this corruption. We want him to arrest all the thieves who have been looting public treasury and defrauding key players in the private sector.
“This IGP should be on suspension by now, if we are serious about corruption. Buhari should arrest and prosecute the IGP and his accomplices.
“We are talking about N120bn Naira not N120m and the explanation for that is that this ex-police officer did not retire properly. This man retired since 2010 but all of a sudden, in 2017, the Nigerian Police realized he did not resign properly.
“If it were a PDP Senator that was alleging that the IGP took bribes, they might say it corruption that is fighting back. But corruption is not fighting back in this case because it is the same APC people that are making the allegations.
“We want the EFCC to investigate these issues. We want the EFCC to look into this matter.”
