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Tag: IGP

  • IGP: Egbetokun to remain in office till 2027

    Continuing in the footsteps of former President Buhari, President Bola Tinubu has approved that the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, remains in office until 2027.

    According to Section 18(8) of the Police Act 2020, Egbetokun, who was born on September 4, 1964, is expected to retire in September 2024, when he clocks 60.
    Against the backdrop of reports that his tenure was extended, a senior police source, who requested anonymity, clarified that the letter was not an extension but rather a confirmation that he should complete the four-year tenure as originally stated in his letter of appointment.
    The source said, “The tenure of the IGP was not extended but rather a clarification on his letter of appointment that stipulated four years in office.”
    In July, the National Assembly passed the Police Act Amendment Bill to enable a person appointed to the office of Inspector General of Police (IGP) to remain in office until the end of the term stipulated in the letter of appointment.
    President Tinubu forwarded the Bill to the House of Representatives and Senate to amend the tenure of the IGP.
    The Bill was expeditiously passed by lawmakers in both green and red chambers. The upper and lower chambers passed the bill at separate sittings.
    The President appointed Egbetokun as the IGP in June 2023 for four years. He was appointed alongside four new service chiefs.
    At the moment, Egbetokun has been in office for one year and three months, with two years and nine months remaining of his four-year appointment.
    The controversy about the tenure of IGP didn’t start with the current police boss. That of Egbetokun’s predecessor, Usman Baba, was not in any way different. Baba clocked 60 years old in March 2023 and attained the mandatory 35 years of service but he remained in office till Tinubu appointed Egbetokun as his replacement three months later

  • Endbadgovernance: Police Raid Homes in Abuja

    The police have intensified their actions against individuals and institutions suspected to have links to the End Bad Governance protests, with recent invasions targeting prominent figures in Abuja. 

     

    Mrs. Helen Batubo, proprietress of Stars of Nations School, had her home invaded by police officers.

     

    The operation is reportedly connected to her involvement in the protests.

     

    In a related incident, the home of Drew Povey, the owner of Iva Valley Books, was also raided by police.

     

    Iva Valley Books issued a statement condemning the invasion and highlighted the ongoing police actions against the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

     

    According to the statement, police officers, along with other armed men, forcibly entered the NLC buildings earlier in the month and removed all the books from a bookshop that had been operating there for seven years.

     

    The books covered various topics, including trade unionism, environmentalism, and feminism.

     

    The statement from Iva Valley Books also noted that Joe Ajaero, NLC President, and Povey’s partner received police interview invitations related to accusations of criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, treasonable felony, subversion, and cybercrime.

     

    The bookshop firmly denied any involvement in such activities, calling the accusations baseless.

     

    The Iva Valley Books statement called on civil society organizations to support an inquiry into the attacks and urged for the immediate return of the confiscated property.

     

    Despite demands for the return of the books and other items taken during the raids, the police have yet to comply.

     

  • Hunger Protest: Don’t bother to continue

    Hunger Protest: Don’t bother to continue

    The Inspector General of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Mr. Kayode Egbetokun has warned protesters to discontinue the ongoing national protest against hunger and bad governance or have the police and other armed forces to contend with.

     

    Briefing the press in Abuja this evening, Mr. Egbetokun said the NPF shall not hesitate to call in other members of the Nigerian armed forces to help quell the uprising should they be overwhelmed.

     

    Giving his view about the way the protest panned out on the first day, he insisted that what happened today was, “Mass uprising and looting, not protest”. He regretted that even “those who claimed to be the protest leaders were nowhere to be found when things got out of hand”.

     

    Advising the protesters to be law abiding he said, “groups who claim to exercise right to protest must also know they are duty bound to obey laws of the land.

     

    Know your rights but do not neglect your responsibilities or duties,” he cautioned the protesting youth.

     

    He warned that the police was on the red alert and determined to ensure that law and order was maintained in the country.

     

    Concluding, the Police chief said, “I advise that they should not bother to continue with this.”

  • BREAKING: We Won’t Allow Violence Under Guise Of Copying Kenya Protests – IGP

    The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, on Tuesday, warned against any violence under guise of replicating the protest which shook Kenya.

    Following some policies which aggrieved Kenyans considered anti-masses, young persons trooped to the parliament and strategic places across Kenya last month.

    The protest had led to some reforms, including cabinet reshuffle.

    Some groups are currently mobilising for protest under the theme #EndBadGovernance

    But speaking at the Force Headquarters in Abuja during a strategic meeting with top police officers from the rank of Commissioners of Police, Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) and the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG), on Tuesday, Egbetokun advised those planning the protest to jettison the idea, saying the police would not fold their arms watching them engaging in violence.

    The police boss said the force’s decision was based on what happened during the last #EndSARS protest nationwide, insisting that the police, particularly has not been relieved of the trauma they passed through.

    The top cop said, “Our position is that the proposed violent protests are ill-advised and should be jettisoned fortuitously. We have the responsibility to protect properties and everyone, irrespective of their race, colour, ethnicity, or tribe, who are lawfully embarking on their daily activities.

    “We will, therefore, not sit back and fold our arms to watch violent activities unleash violence on our peaceful communities or destroy any of our national critical infrastructure and assets again.”

    According to him, the police have run background checks on many of the organisers and sponsors of the protest, it was found out that many of them are not living in Nigeria, and that they are only out to instigate crisis in the country.

    He added, “Before concluding this address, it is important I address an issue of urgent national importance which appears to have gained some momentum, particularly on social media, in the past few weeks.

    “Some groups of people, self-appointed crusaders and influencers, have been strategising and mobilizing potential protesters to unleash terror in the land under the guise of replicating the recent Kenya protests.

    “While the force acknowledges the right to peaceful protest as enshrined in our constitution, we must ensure that these protests do not snowball into violence or disorder.

    “As a nation, we have had more than our fair share of violent protests, with rather dastardly consequences. The last #EndSARS protest led to one-tenth destruction of public assets, including police stations, courts, and transport infrastructure, and the loss of several lives.

    “Tales of sorrow, tears, and blood followed what was supposedly intended to be a well-intentioned exercise. Rather than lead to any positive outcome, EndSars merely aggravated crime rates and insecurity in several parts of the country.

    “Indeed, we are yet to fully recover from the huge economic losses and deep-seated psychological and emotional trauma inflicted upon our people by these protests.”

    Fielding questions from journalists, Egbetokun also said that measures are in place to ensure that any hoodlums attempting to disguise themselves as protesters will be apprehended.

    He stated, “We have mapped out plans to ensure that no individual or group succeeds in fostering a reign of terror and anarchy on other law-abiding and dissolving Nigerians.

    “Consequently, I want to seize this opportunity to sound the note of serious warning to hoodlums who may want to take laws into their own hands in the name of protests. Do not worry.”

  • Tinubu Orders Security Agencies To Rescue Abducted Gusau Varsity Students

    Tinubu Orders Security Agencies To Rescue Abducted Gusau Varsity Students

    President Bola Tinubu has taken decisive action, instructing security agencies to undertake the immediate rescue operation of the abducted female students from the Federal University Gusau, who were forcibly taken by terrorists last Thursday.

    In a statement released by his media aide, Mr. Ajuri Ngelale, President Tinubu strongly condemned this abhorrent act of abduction. He expressed his deep concern that there could be no moral justification for such a heinous crime committed against innocent victims whose only ‘offense’ was their pursuit of a quality education.

    The President has reassured the families of the abducted students that no effort will be spared in ensuring their safe return.

    Tinubu has made a firm commitment that the Federal Government will uphold the sanctity of educational institutions, preserving them as bastions of knowledge, growth, and opportunity, and free from the menacing threats of terrorists.

    The horrifying incident unfolded when bandits attacked three female students’ hostels in Sabon Gida, an area where students live outside the main campus of the university, during the midnight hours last Thursday, leading to the abduction of an unknown number of students. Although many female students were kidnapped, some managed to escape.

  • IGP deploys newly promoted Frank Mba, Bala Ciroma, others

    The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Usman Baba Alkali has approved the deployment  of the two newly promoted Deputy Inspectors-General of Police (DIG), Frank Mba and Bala Ciroma to departments.

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

    He said Mba had been deployed  to head the Department of Research and Planning while Ciroma was deployed to head the Department of Training and Development

    Adejobi said Mr Hafiz Inuwa, a DIG had also been redeployed to head the Department of Logistics and Supply.

    According to Adejobi, with the recent elevation, Ciroma has become the supervising DIG for the North-East and Mba, the supervisory DIG for the South-East Geo political zone.

    The police spokesman said the IGP also approved the posting/redeployment of 17 Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs) to various commands and formations.

    He said the posting are Abubakar Lawal,  AIG Zone 10 Sokoto, Abdul Umar, AIG Zone 15 Maiduguri, Williams Adebowale, AIG Zone 7 Abuja, Shettima Zanna, AIG Armament FHQ Abuja,  Ebong Eyibio Ebong, AIG Zone 17 Akure and Adepoju Ilori, AIG Maritime Lagos.

    Others are Okon Effiong, AIG FCID Annex Kaduna, Echeng Echeng,  AIG Zone 9 Umuahia, Susan Horsefall, Commandant Staff College Jos,  Bankole Sikiru, AIG DFA FHQ Abuja, Oladimeji Olanrewaju, AIG Zone 11 Osogbo and Odama Ojeka, AIG FEDOPS FHQ, Abuja.

    Adejobi said other AIGs deployed are Shehu Gwarzo, AIG Forensic, Yekini Ayoku, AIG R&P, FHQ Abuja, Yahaya Abubakar, AIG FCID Alagbon Lagos, Umar Sanda, AIG Zone 1 Kano and Ede Ayuba, AIG CTU FHQ Abuja.

    Adejobi said the Police Boss urged the senior police officers to continue to entrench professionalism and respect for rights of citizens in their new places of assignment.

    He also called on the officers to pursue the task of ensuring public safety and security in their areas of responsibilities with renewed vigour.