From Haruna Tula – Abuja
Tension is brewing in the police over controversial suspension of an Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Abdul Yari by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Dr Kayode Egbetokun. In addition to Yari”s suspension, Egbetokun is said to have also slated two more AIGs, two CPs, one DCP and one ACP for suspension.
The SUPREME discrete investigations last week reveal that, IGP Egbetokun has earmarked the officers for suspension, and has alkegedly directed Force Secretary and Budget office to suspend their names from staff list while their salaries are said to also been placed on hold.
A letter believed to have emanated from the Force Secretary addressed to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Monitoring Unit dated January 13th 2025, listed names of the affected senior officers,who allegedly backdated their “history records.”
The letter was allegedly signed by AIG Olofu Rhoda giving the DCP one week to investigate the officers” alleged falsification of their date of enlistment and appointment into the Nigeria Police Force.
The DCP is expected to have submitted his report of the investigation yesterday 20/1/25.
The Force Secretary office is expected to delist the names of the officers from staff list from Monday 20/1/25, if result of the investigation indicts any of them.
We also learnt that the Budget Department hasbalsov been directed by the IGP to suspend payment of January 2025 salaries to the officers, pending outcome of the DCP investigation.
In addition,, we learnt that Egbetokun has written to the Police Service Commission (PSC) of the need to suspend the senior police officers through his Principal Staff Officer (PSO) a Commissioner of Police (names with held).
The AIGs whose names appeared on the Force Secretary’s letter are: Abdul Yari, Idowu Owohunwa, one time Lagos State Commissioner of Police (CP), now AIG incharge of INTERPOL National Central Bureau, and Ben Igwe former CP Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, now AIG Zone 7 Abuja.
Others are: CP Peter Okachi Opara,, CP Obo Obo Ukani, DCP Simon Asanmber Lough (SAN), and ACP Akpan Brown.
Many senior police officers, serving and retired who spoke to The SUPREME on strict anonymity are urging President Bola Tinubu to relieve Kayode Egbetokun of his political appointment.
Their summary reason is that, IGP Egbetokun action is impetus and vindictive.
Two retired AIGs, one from the North, and the other from the South South condemned Kayode Egbetokun’s action, saying that “his action is belated and vindictive.”
“Why is it now that he decides to suspend the officers, almost two years he became the IG, if he has no hidden agenda against one of them?” The AIG opined that, “the IGP nay have a particular officer in mind to victimise, but chose to add names of other officers who have similar cases so as not to be accused of being vindictive. “
The AIG observed that the Force Secretary and the CP Budget are supposed to have updated him of monthly staff list and officers who are due for retirement on monthly basis.
One of the AIGs asked rhetorically : When did the IG find out that the officers falsify their ages or date of entry? Almost two years he became the IG it is now he realised that some officers falsified their date of entry?”
He wondered: “why President Tinubu is still keeping him.He too should go because he has since last year September (2024) retired.”
The officer noted that, “he is always embarrassing us (the police). Some of us are ashamed of him. Since his assumption, he is faced with one controversy or the other. “
The AIG noted that Egbetokun “seems to enjoy controversies. It is unfortunate he has no new innovation to improve on the police to curb insecurity.”
He recalled that, many former IGPs introduced several innovations to curb insecurity in the country Let him (Egbetokun) tell us any renarkable innovation ihe has introduced to curtail insecurity in the country.”
He recalled: “Mike Okiro introduced Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU), Mohamned Adamu introduced Puff Adder to curb insurgency on Abuja-Kaduna Road. The military were involved during the launching. I was personally there. What can Egbetokun be remembered for apart from controversies.”
Spokesman of the Force Mr Muyiwa Adejobi could not be reached to confirm the planned suspension of the officers.
Spokesman of the PSC, Mr Ikechukwu Ani responding to our sms said, he has “not been briefed on” the planned controversial suspensions of the offcers.
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