Senate probes IGP
accused the IGP of bribery, corruption and gross misconduct, adding that the high level of corruption under the watch of the IGP was responsible for the increasing cases of crime in the country.
He said money being paid by oil companies, banks and private individuals to the police for security was not being accounted for.
“Oil companies, banks and individuals pay money for police security. This is why you see people of dubious characters with siren in the country. We have one policeman to 800 persons but you will see an oil marketer with 30 policemen,” he said.
Misau said his feud with the IGP started when he spoke to Daily Trust in the office of Senator Bashir Baba Kaka Garbai on the alleged bribe-for-special promotion in the police force.
Senator impregnated, policewoman says IGP married
Senator Misau, at yesterday’s plenary, also accused the IGP of secretly marrying a serving police woman against the Police rules. “He [IGP] secretly married her in Kaduna after impregnating her. She was four months pregnant before the marriage,” he said.
He also alleged that the IGP diverted money meant for the purchase of Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) for the purchase of exotic cars.
Other members of the panel as announced by the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki are Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi (APC, Kaduna), Senator Binta Garba Masi (APC, Adamawa), Senator Obinna Ogba (PDP, Ebonyi), Senator Abdulaziz Nyako (APC, Adamawa), Senator Duro Fasheyi (PDP, Ekiti) and Senator Nelson Effiong (APC, Akwa Ibom).
The panel, according to Saraki, is to probe the allegations against the IGP while the allegations against Misau are to be probed by the Senate committee chaired by Senator Samuel Anyanwu (PDP, Imo).
Saraki said the allegations cannot be swept under the carpet and that the matters are weighty to be left uninvestigated.
Attempts to contact the spokesman of the Nigeria Police Force, CSP Jimoh Moshood, to comment on the latest development were unsuccessful. His phone lines did not respond up to the time of filing this report.
Our correspondent reports that the feud started when Daily Trust contacted Misau in August over the claim that police officers pay N500,000 to get the special promotion being coordinated by the Police Service Commission (PSC) and the IGP’s office.
The police, in return, accused Senator Misau of forging his retirement from the service and declared him a deserter. The PSC later said the senator’s retirement letter was genuine.
Meanwhile, the senator had earlier rebuffed invitations by the Nigeria police and the PSC to appear before their respective panels and expatiate on his allegations.
Asta’s family threatens court action, says marriage not secret
Speaking with Daily Trust on telephone last night, a member of Asta’s family, Nasiru Baba Saleh, said they would sue Misau in court for defamation of character.
He said the family was shocked by Misau’s allegations, which he described as lies against their daughter, whom he said is very responsible.
“We have all the evidence that the wedding was not done secretly. It held at the Sultan Bello Mosque, Kaduna where many people attended. The representatives of both families were present. The Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, his deputy and others were there.
“We won’t take the matter lightly. This is defamation of character, and it won’t go like that. We’ll take him to court for defamation of character. Let him come and prove his allegations in court. We have already briefed our lawyers on this.”
Marriage: What Police Act says
The Police Act in article 124 states that policewomen are to apply for permission to marry [L.N. 93 of 1968.]
It stated that, “A woman police officer who is desirous of marrying must first apply in writing to the commissioner of police for the State Police command in which she is serving, requesting permission to marry and giving the name, address, and occupation of the person she in- tends to marry.
“Permission will be granted for the marriage if the intended husband is of good character and the woman police officer has served in the Force for a period of not less than three years.”
The Act, in Article 127, which deals with pregnancy of unmarried women police, stated that, “An unmarried woman police officer who becomes pregnant shall be discharged from the Force, and shall not be re-enlisted except with the approval of the Inspector-General.”
Daily Trust gathered that marriage between police men and women is a normal practice in the Force, without regards to the rules as stated in the Police Act.