The police have reacted to the Senate which earlier yesterday (Wednesday) declared the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, as an ‘enemy of democracy’ who is unfit to hold a public office.
In a statement signed on Wednesday by the Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, the police said the IGP is not and will not be an enemy of democracy.
According to Moshood, the police is the first defender of democracy in Nigeria.
“It is urgently imperative that the Nigeria Police Force respond to this resolution of the Senate which is a deliberate blackmail, witch-hunting, unfortunate and mischievous.
“It is important to correct the impression created in the minds of the people from the Senate’s resolution that the IGP is not and will not be an enemy to democracy.
“It is also of significant note to state that IGP Ibrahim K. Idris has served meritoriously for above 10 years in the United Nations Peace Keeping Operations in several countries unblemished. The Nigeria Police Force is the first defender of Democracy and all democratic institutions in Nigeria and will continue to do so,” the statement read in part.
The statement explained further that the police boss was absent after he was on April 25 by the Red Chambers because he was on official assignment to Bauchi on the same date, hence the reason why he delegated the Deputy Inspector-General of Police.
“In accordance with the extant laws in Nigeria, the functions, duties and responsibilities of the Inspector General of Police as stated in Section 215(1a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, and the Police Act and Regulations Section 309(1) can also be carried out as mentioned in sections 7(1),312(1), 313(2) of the Police Act and Regulations by a senior officer of the Force of the Rank of Deputy IGP or an Assistant IGP who if permitted by the Inspector General of Police to act on his behalf or represent him in an official capacity at any official function, event or programme within and outside Nigeria can do so in consonant with the provisions of the Police Act and Regulations,” the statement read in part.
The police, therefore, described the Senate’s resolution to declare the Police boss as an enemy of democracy as deliberate blackmail, witch-hunting and mischief aimed at casting aspersions on the integrity of the IGP.
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