OSHIOMOLE ACCUSES POLICE OF SHIELDING OFFICERS OVER AIDE'S MURDER

Oyerinde:Edo State governor calls for DIG's sack. The Edo State governor Adams Oshiomole has called for the dismissal of the Deputy Inspector General of police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department Peter Gana, who supervised the investigation into the murder of his private secretary, Olaitan Oyerinde. Mr. Oshiomole made this call on Thursday while delivering a key note address at the launch of the Code of Conduct and Professional Standard for officers and men of the Nigeria Police,at the International Conference Centre in Abuja. Vice-President, Namadi Sambo represented President Goodluck Jonathan at the event. Oshiomhole alleged that the DIG conducted a shoddy investigation into the death of Olaitan in what he described as "police magic" and alleged that the DIG is shielding the persons who murdered his private secretary. Oshiomole therefore expressed his dismal over the investigation and appealed to the presidency to intervene in the matter and fish out the real killers. Oshiomhole said, “I am aggrieved; I am aggrieved over the murder of my private secretary and the way in which it was trivialised. “I am saying it knowing that the Vice President is here. My secretary was murdered in cold blood and you dispatched a DIG to supervise that investigation; a DIG is a sufficiently senior officer. They came to Benin and they did what Fela (Ransome-Kuti) would have called police magic. He said the police displayed unprofessionalism when they arrested and detained an innocent civil rights activist, David Ugolor, over the grusome murder of Olaitan for two months without trial in disobedience of a court order. He therefore urged the Inspector General of Police Mohammed Abubakar to dismiss the DIG for allegedly conspiring with other officers over the shoddy job they allegedly did. He said “At the end, they went for a civil rights activist and charged him for the offence of murder.The DIG Force CID has a case to answer; it is either he is guilty of conspiracy to murder or is guilty of conspiracy to shield murderers or both. In which case he cannot wear his police uniform, he must be dismissed" Mr Oshiomole added .“The weapon that was used for the murder was used for armed robbery earlier, recovered by the police and under police custody at the time my secretary was murdered. “So, the man who murdered my secretary was in police custody, the gun used was in police custody and these are the findings of the police. “The only conclusion that can be reached is that the police ordered the murder of my private secretary. The officer wrote this in black and white. “I ask you (IG) to read it. He wrote that he has done a thorough job under a very skillful DIG in charge of Force CID and the sky is their limit. And I am asking the Vice President to report to the President that if they do not find the killers of Olaitan, he can’t expect the people of Edo State and all those who know Olaitan, to have confidence in the security agencies. “I feel terrible that as a governor, I can’t get justice.The DIG Force Investigation has no business wearing police uniform. If I as a governor cannot get justice over the murder of my private secretary ,what will happen to the anoynmous Nigerian?The country cannot be reduced to a banana republic. I owe it the responsibility to get justice for Olaitan and if I don't tell the truth,God should take my life".Mr. Oshiomole said. “The SSS paraded those who killed Olaitan, and I believed that they are the ones who killed him but the DIG from Force CID, working with another junior officer, conspired to shield the actual murderers, parading an innocent civil rights activist, detained for two months without trial in clear disobedience of court order.” the Inspector General of Police, in his reaction said. “The case is before a trial judge. It is not the duty of the Police to try the case. But I assure you we will do what is right in the matter,” Abubakar said. Earlier in his speech,the governor, had called for the scrapping of the Police Affairs ministry stating that the ministry is a duplication of responsibility as it is performing the functions of the Police Service Commission, The governor also identified impunity as being the problem of Nigeria and the police and called for a collaborative effort to stamp out the maliase which according to him has become a norm in the country. He said “One of the problems of the Nigerian state, including the police, and even in the civil service, is the culture of impunity that people do things and get away it.” The governor explained that “sometime ago, in Edo State; let me be specific, a policeman manned an illegal road block contrary to the orders of the IG. “Members of the public complained and the fact of illegal roadblock was established. It was discovered that a soldier was recruited illegally by an ASP to man this illegal road block and was extorting money. “In my view, that borders on armed robbery because the man carries arms; without the arms, he cannot subdue the road user to part with his money. “If you take money with the aid of arms, you are an armed robber. Having arrested the soldier, the army proceeded to do what a responsible force should do, dismissed the soldier. “But IG, you will be shocked to know and this is not an incident of 10 years ago, that your men in Benin, decided to shield this officer and recently, I learnt that one of them was even promoted. “While the military dismissed the soldier, the police promoted their own. How can you have discipline in such an environment? I will plead that you order the dismissal of those policemen today. “When we begin to apply the stick and carrot appropriately, the message of discipline will be clear. In his reaction to Oshiomole's call for the scrapping of the Police Ministry,Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade who heads the Ministry said Nigeria is not the first country to have a police Affairs Ministry and therefore urged Nigerians to see the good work the ministry is doing as the positive changes are evident in the Force. Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State who gave a goodwill message at the event however praised the IGP and the officers and men of the police Force for doing their best despite the challenges of underfunding and lack of infrastrusture for the police. Ajimobi said "the police is a reflection of the society. The police cannot be different from the society. No Nigerian especially the big men can say they have not in one way or the other tried to influence the police. For me the police has done very well despite the underfunding and structural challenges"Mr. Ajimobi said. Reply Reply to all Forward