ABUJA
— THE Inspector-General of Police, Mr Suleiman Abba, yesterday, became the
first major casualty of the just concluded general elections, which President
Goodluck Jonathan and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, lost to the
opposition.
The police officer, who was elevated to the post only last
year, incurred the wrath of the Presidency on the eve of the governorship and
House of Assembly elections for allegedly arguing with the government officials
over the directive to recall the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in
Charge of Zone 6, Tunde Ogunshakin, from Rivers State.
Abba,
it was learnt, had deployed Ogunshakin from his base in Calabar to Port
Harcourt to oversee the governorship election in Rivers State following
complaints by Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, that the police had
collaborated with the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the
PDP to intimidate APC members and rig the presidential and National Assembly
elections in the state.
His refusal to pick calls over Ogunshakin’s recall
Another source said the former police boss reportedly
ignored presidency official’s objection to the deployment of Ogunshakin to
Rivers State on the allegation that the police officer was sympathetic to
Amaechi and his party and would, therefore, not allow the PDP win the state.
A Presidency source told Vanguard that on learning
that the IG had defied its order by redeploying Ogunshakin to Rivers State to
supervise the governorship elections. A presidency official called the former
police boss to recall the AIG with immediate effect from Rivers State or face
the consequences.
The source said the presidency felt slighted when it could
not get through to Abba.
The former police boss reportedly told the Presidency that
AIG Ogunshakin was a formidable Police officer whom he described as a
‘no-nonsense officer’ feared and respected in the Police Force hierarchy and
capable of ensuring law and order in the place of new assignment.
Vanguard
learnt that although the sacked IG reluctantly recalled Ogunshakin from Rivers
State, forcing him to quit Port Harcourt by 5 am on the election day,
Presidency did not forgive Abba for redeploying Ogunshakin reluctantly.
Presence at Buhari’s certificate of return presentation
Another sin of the former IG was his presence at the
presentation of the Certificate of Return to Muhammadu Buhari at the
International Conference Centre on April 1, 2015, which convinced the
Presidency that the IG was actually working for the opposition and it moved
quickly against him.
Arase replaces Abba
The Senior Special Adviser to the President on Public
Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, could not also be reached for comments on the
development.
Abba’s sack was announced by the president’s spokesman,
Reuben Abati, in a statement yesterday. No reason was given for the sack while
a Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, was appointed to act in
his stead.
Abati’s statement read in full: “President Goodluck Jonathan
has relieved the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba, of his
appointment and duties with immediate effect.
“President Jonathan has also appointed Deputy
Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, as Acting Inspector-General of
Police, also with immediate effect.
“Until his appointment as Mr. Abba’s replacement, Mr. Arase
was the Head of the Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department.
“Mr. Arase holds Bachelors and Masters degrees in Law, as
well as Bachelors and Masters degrees in Political Science and Strategic
Studies.
“He is also a Fellow of the Nigerian Defence College.”
Mr. Abba, 56, became acting Inspector General on August 1,
2014 following the retirement of his predecessor, Mohammed Abubakar, after 35
years of public service.
He was confirmed substantive IGP on November 4, 2014.
Abba was, until that appointment, an Assistant Inspector
General, AIG, in charge of Zone 7 Command, a position he occupied since May 25,
2012. He was also an Aide-De-Camp, ADC, to the wife of a former military Head
of State, Maryam Abacha.
With his removal, Mr. Abba will proceed on forced
retirement, four years before he attains retirement age.
He enlisted in the Nigeria Police as Cadet Inspector on
December 31, 1984 and is actually due for retirement on March 22, 2019.
Soni Daniel, Regional Editor, North
BY Soni
Daniel, Regional Editor, North
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