Security File with Enani Benson
OFFICERS ALLEGE FRAUD IN POLICE COOPERATIVE SOCIETY
*It is not true, Says IGP
Some officers in state police commands have appealed to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Suleimon Abba to look into the alleged non–remittance of six months deduction in their salaries by the police cooperative society.
The officers and men alleged that there is fraud in the police cooperative society.
According to a source, who did not want his name mentioned, the monthly deduction been made on the police officers’ salaries had not been credited to their accounts since February 2014, subjecting most of them who needed loans and sundry financial assistance to hardship.
“It is fortunate that this is happening despite the fact that we make such contributions for the rainy day,” he said.
But the IGP, who incidentally is the chairman of the Police Cooperative Society, has dismissed any such fear of fraud in the society, saying there could be delays but not that anything untoward was going on.
Abba said: “I was, and I still remain the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Police Cooperative Society. So, as Chairman, I cannot claim ignorance of what happens there.
“I must tell you, the system in handling deductions in police cooperatives has been going on for many years. If anybody is complaining or is having problems with crediting his account, I think something is really wrong.”
According to him, even if such challenges exist, it is only because the authorities of the society at the headquarters have been struggling to computerize their activities.
He added that although there could be delays in remittances, it did not suffice to assume that somebody is tampering with the funds.
“I must tell you, I was worried because up till last weekend some of us were still perhaps complaining, I think it has even gone beyond complaints. Some said it was fraud particularly on the social media and if I tell you I was not worried I will be telling lies because my hands were in it,” he said.
Assuring that the computerization process would be completed soon, Abba said he had also given orders that the project be given to a new contractor
Abba said he would not allow anyone to take advantage of the society’s fund to do business at the expense of the policemen.
“I have since given directives that what we started should be completed and that we should bring in new contractors. I think if we continue to follow them up, we will get there, I think with that computerization, problem of this nature won’t arise again. There may be delays, but nothing fraudulent is going on”.
He urged officers and men of the force to shun rumours and divisive tendencies, saying, “we will not be involved in taking what does not belong to us. Whatever we do will be in your interest and that of your families.
“So, I want to urge you to continue to exhibit that spirit of discipline, loyalty to the service; that command structure of obeying the leader. On our own part, we will always take you to where you should be.”
The IGP also directed the Chairman, Board of Directors of the Nigeria Police Force Mortgage Bank, Usman Isa Baba, to explain if there were other reasons for the delay in remitting funds.
Baba said the deductions were always remitted but that with the budget this year, there was a little delay, a development, he said, had since been rectified.
“We, in fact, liaised with the CP Budget and that has been taken care of,” he said.
How the Police Service Commission Arrived at New DIGs
The Police Service Commission has approved Seven AIGs to be elevated to the rank of Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), which will form a management team that will work with the new Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba, following the resignation of the erstwhile team last Friday.
With the appointment of the new IGP, seven Deputy Inspectors General have also been appointed. They include the Deputy Inspector General in charge of Administration, Deputy Inspector General in charge of Operations, Deputy Inspector General in charge of Logistics and Supplies, Deputy Inspector General in charge of Investigations, DIG in charge of Training and DIG in charge of ICT and Innovation.
WESTERN POST gathered that already, the new IGP has forwarded the names of the Force Secretary, AIG Danazumi Doma; AIG Solomon Arase in charge of Force Criminal Intelligence Bureau; AIG, Mamman Tsafe, AIG Zone 2, Lagos; AIG David Omojola in charge of Zone 11 and AIG Bala Hassan in charge of Zone 12, AIG Baba Adisa Bolanta in charge of Commandant Police University while CP Hilary Opara, CP Bayelsa State, who is the most senior officer from the East is included.
Also included in the list is AIG Chris Dega, AIG Zone 8, Oshogbo.
The appointment of DIG’s usually take into consideration, the geopolitical spread of the country and in most cases, the most senior officer from each zone gets the position.
Aside the Deputy Inspectors General, WESTERN POST gathered that following the retirement of other officers including senior AIG’s and Commissioners of Police who have spent the mandatory 35 years in service, about 14 of them, the Police Service Commission, in conjunction with the new Inspector General of Police, would soon announce the elevation of new Assistant Inspectors General of Police and Command Police Commissioners.
Already, about five state commands whose commissioners have reached retirement age are being temporarily commanded by their deputies pending the deployment of substantive Commissioners of Police from Force headquarters.
Meanwhile, Chief Alex Otudor, a veteran journalist in crime reporting has congratulated the newly-appointed Inspector General of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba, on his appointment describing it as well deserved.
Otudor in a statement issued in Lagos, urged the new IGP to seize the moment and bring genuine reform to the police, whose image has suffered greatly because of the politicization of some aspects of law enforcement.
The statement said, “This is an unprecedented opportunity to reform the police force into a professional institution that citizens are willing to cooperate and work with instead of sustaining it as a tool of repression and stifling of the rights of Nigerians for the benefit of a perverted few”.
