'Arase took away 24 vehicles,' New Police boss alleges

dimeji akinloye

July 18, 2016 2:54 AM

According to him, seven Deputy Inspectors-General of police (DIGs), who retired with Arase, also left with between seven and eight cars each.

Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris

The Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP),

Idris said one of the vehicles he left with include an armoured BMW 7 series, noting that while he (Idris) inherited an old car.

He stated this while speaking to newsmen in Abuja on Sunday, July 17.

“A week before I was announced IG, when you look through my office window, you could see so many cars. But the cars all disappeared when I came in,” Idris said.

“When I took over, there were no vehicles. I discovered that the last IG went away with 24 vehicles, including two BMWs. The DIGs some took seven, others eight. And they left me with an old vehicle.

“What I did in that was to assign a directive to the special investigative unit for them to investigate all vehicles’ purchases and donations to the police in the last three years as well as their positions.”

Idris, who wondered why Arase would convert government properties to personal belonging, said he has asked the former IG to return the excess cars.

He said: “Even the one I follow the president with, the last time I went for an engagement, the president asked what I was doing with that kind of vehicle.

“The headlight has changed colour, which means it was parked for long under the rain, but the new ones that were bought, including an Armoured BMW 7 series, he took them away.

“So, I wrote to him and reminded him of the police rule. When a policeman retires as IG, DIG, AIG or CP, he is entitled to some vehicles. So, he should take his entitlement and return the extra. I believe four vehicles are enough for an average person. What does one need 24 vehicles for?”

The new police boss said he has also started investigating irregularities in promotion in the force, stating that he was a victim of injustice - saying spent five years as commissioner of police while some of his juniors were promoted above him.

“I know how it feels. I was CP for five years while some of my colleagues who became CP were made AIGs within two years. So, I know how it feels. We have discussed it before I travelled.

“The new management will investigate the recent promotions. We will constitute a panel to see if the promotions were done in line with the Police Service Commission rules. This is a constitutional issue.

“There is a policy and we need to find out if these promotions were done in accordance with laid down principles,” he said.

READ: Ex-IG condemns retirement of DIGs, AIGs

Also speaking on the alleged contract inflation, corruption and mismanagement of police investments un Arase, he said the outcome of a panel of investigation set up to look into the matter would determine if the ex-police IG should be probed or not.

dimeji akinloye