As Police Council confirms Baba as substantive IGP

South West leaders should substantiate allegation of foreign invaders — IGP

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday told the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Alkali Usman Baba to rise up to the challenge and ensure that the insecurity the country was facing was brought to the barest minimum.

President Buhari also told the Police boss to justify the confidence reposted in him.

This is as the Police Council at the meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the First Lady’s Conference Room, Presidential Villa, Abuja, confirmed Alkali Usman Baba as the substantive Inspector General of Police.

Meanwhile, the IGP has told the South West leaders who alleged that foreign herdsmen were planning to invade the zone to substantiate the allegation to help the police follow it up.

Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, the Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Maigari Dingyadi, said the appointment of Baba as IGP was unanimously confirmed.

READ ALSO: Breaking: Police Council confirms Baba as IGP

According to him,  “like you have heard, we have just come out of  National Police council meeting that had Mr. President, the governors, the minister of FCT who are members of the council in attendance.

“The purpose of that meeting was one: to get the appointment of the acting IG confirmed  by the council, in keeping with section 205 of the Nigerian constitution (as amended). It requires the confirmation by members of the council before he is finally confirmed as the Inspector General of police.

“Seondly, to brief the council on the security situation in the country. And as usual, the meeting started with the presentation of tactics by the inspector General which fortunately because of his track record of the IGP, he was uniamosly confirmed.

“Mr. president used the opportunity to congratulate him on his appointment and called on him to ensure that confidence that was reposed in him. He should rise to the challenge and ensure that the insecurity the country is facing is brought to the barest minimum.

“The IG assured Mr President and Nigerians that he is going to work assiduously to ensure that the responsibilities assigned to him are brought to bear and executed to the best of his abilities and to the satisfaction of all Nigerians.”

Also speaking, the IGP said he briefed the council on the state of insecurity in the country, adding that he started by saying what was the threat to national security in the six geo political zone.

He said,”there are peculiarities like i said in the South East and south south, it is the issue of secessionist agenda championed by IPOB (Indigenous People of Biafra), I also talked about terrorism and religious bigotry in the North East.

“I also talked about the issue of kidnapping, armed robbery, banditry and cultism as it affects the North Central and North West and South West. I gave a synopsis in terms of what we are doing to address this situation.

“I also thanked Mr President for providing additional logistics in terms of carrying out our duties and responsibilities. In collaboration with other security agencies, we try to checkmate other forms of lawlessness, criminality and unlawful agitation in order to ensure lives and property are saved and at the same time Nigerian citizens go about their lawful business.

“What is seriously worrisome in the Southeast is gradually being checked and results are positive as regards the attacks and killings of security agents and assets belonging to the federal government.

“Our ability to checkmate this lawlessness has improved and we are getting closer to something positive. We also acknowledge the fact that there are some things that have been done by the federal government to improve police operations ranging from the establishment of the police Trust Fund, signing into law of the 2020 Police Act and several other intervention funds necessitated our technology and intelligence led policing will be a reality.

“I briefed council on adding our strengths in terms of recruitment for 2020 and 2021 as this will assist us. I also briefed the council on community policing which has taken off in all the states and how the community police officers are assisting in providing security in their communities because their operation is restricted to their Immediate community.

“I briefled council on the number of arrests we have made and recoveries in terms of firearms and weaponry that are being used  lawlesly.

“I briefed council on rescue of kidnapped victims and what we are doing to secure the school children that have been kidnapped and how we are going about it securing those in schools.”

Asked if the Police were able to differentiate between IPOB and political thugs in the South east in the onslaught and arrest of youths going on in the zone, he said, “I don’t even need to differentiate them.

“The issue is, I am looking for anybody who has committed offence or anybody who belongs to a proscribed  organisation. So, the issue is it all depends on the level of criminality or lawlessness that someone does to know what punishment will be meted on him.

“I it is a political thug that commits crime he is in for it as a principal offender, if someone is sponsoring him either aiding or abbeting him, conspiring with him they will be taken together .

“The issue is, IPOB is a proscribed  organisation and we expect nobody to belong to the IPOB. Thuggery is an offence and anyone caught will be dealt with according to the law. They are all offenders. Its just like me differenting between an armed robber and a thug. It’s the level of crime that matters. There is no way we can say this is IPOB or a thug it all depends on the level of crime. “

Fielding question on the allegation by South West leaders that foreign herders were planning to invade the zone, he told this making the allegation to come up with clues that would help follow it up.

He said, ” It’s a statement that will not be taken lightly we are looking into it based on intelligence available to us we will deal with the situation and those who are making the statement are also at liberty by national calling to substantiate to the nearest police station.

“It is not today we have been hearing of foreigners coming in to commit one crime or another and in some instances there are real incidence that some people that were arrested are not really Nigerians.

“It is not a new thing and whatever level of security we need to provide we are doing it, we have border patrol police, immigration are doing their jobs in terms of checking illegal aliens.

“It is possible but it is not as light as invasion that word is very strong, we will look into it if actually it is true.”

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