Don’t interfere with investigation, Police warns Saraki as it replies him over “unverifiable allegations” against IGP
*Says any person who tries to interfere in its investigation process is offender
*As Force Headquarters debunks Senate President’s allegations
*The Kwara Crimes: Truth of the matter – Force PRO
*’IGP has no vested interest in investigation of murders by gang’
*Nigerians react: If we must get over the killings we have blamed on an entire tribe of Nigeria, Fulani, whose main trade is herding of cows, then there must not be politicization of this national security matter.
“The suspects admitted and confessed before the press and the public to have killed Eleven (11) innocent persons in Kwara State and other States of the country. The victims according to the suspects were targeted and killed on the instructions of their sponsors. Consequent upon the public confessions of these vicious and notorious killer squad to the killings in cold blood of more than Eleven (11) innocent people in Kwara State and other States of the Federation, the statutory procedure and practice in the Force is that such a heinous crime and capital offence is transferred to the Force Headquarters for further investigation. This is to enable a thorough and discreet investigation into the crime.”
The Nigeria Police Force has said that it is shocked at “the unbelievable claims, unverifiable allegations and unfounded accusations” being peddled by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, accusing the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim K. Idris, of plot and strategies against him to settle scores.
The DEFENDER had earlier reported a Police source promising that the Force would reply to Saraki’s claim that the IGP was plotting to “frame and implicate” him with some cultists transferred to Abuja on his directives.
According to the Force spokesperson, ACP Moshood Jimoh, “the Force therefore wishes to categorically state that, there is no iota of truth in the allegation and false assertion by the Senate President of plot against him by the IGP to implicate the Kwara State Government and the Senate President in any criminal matter. Until investigation is concluded, any person(s) or group(s) who tries to interfere in the investigation process by action or utterances is committing an offence.
The Kwara Crimes: Truth of the matter – Force PRO
“To set the records straight, the Kwara State Police Command on the 11th of May, 2018, paraded the following suspects before the Media and the Public, namely; Abolaji Safti Ojulari of Kankatu area, Ilorin, Lanre Mohammed Soliu a.k.a Askari of Ile Nda Compound, Ilorin, Azeez Moyaki of Moyaki Compound, Gambari Area Ilorin, Suleiman Babatunde of Gambari Area, Ilorin, Yusuf Habeeb of Kangile Village, Kulende, Ilorin and Umar Yahaya of Kangile Village, Kulende, Ilorin.
“The suspects admitted and confessed before the press and the public to have killed Eleven (11) innocent persons in Kwara State and other States of the country. The victims according to the suspects were targeted and killed on the instructions of their sponsors. Find attached names of victims killed in cold blood (i) Bukola Ajikobi killed on 18/01/2016 at ajikobi Area in Ilorin (ii) Azeez Lawal killed in February, 2018 at Oja oba area of Ilorin (iii) Lateef (Surname unknown) killed February, 2018 at Ode Alfa Nda area of Ilorin (iv) Jamiu (Surname unknown) killed in February 2018 at idi ape area, Ilorin (v) One segun (Surname unknown) killed in September, 2017 at kankatu area of Ilorin (vi) Wasiu (Surname unknown) killed in September 29, 2016 at Shao garage of Ilorin (vii) Musiliu (Surname unknown) killed in February, 2018 at Shao Area Ilorin (viii) Bayo Ajia killed in January 18, 2018 at taiwo Road, Ilorin (ix) Another Lateef killed in January 2016 at Baboko Area of Ilorin (x) Abbey a student of Kwara Polytechnic killed in April, 2017 at Niger Road, Ilorin (xi) Lanre (Surname unknown) killed on 23rd August, 2015 at Isale Aluko Area of Ilorin.
“Consequent upon the public confessions of these vicious and notorious killer squad to the killings in cold blood of more than Eleven (11) innocent people in Kwara State and other States of the Federation, the statutory procedure and practice in the Force is that such a heinous crime and capital offence is transferred to the Force Headquarters for further investigation. This is to enable a thorough and discreet investigation into the crime.
“However, it is pertinent to state that, there is no vested interest by the Inspector General of Police in the ongoing investigation into the several murders committed by this killer gang, other than ensuring that justice prevails in the matter. Nobody, no matter how highly placed would be allowed to interfere or obstruct Police investigation to pervert the course of justice.”
Nigerians react
In their reactions, some Nigerians believe there is clear picture of truth of the Kwara crimes matter in the reply the Police has given to the “damaging” allegations by the Senate President.
They believe that the issue in Kwara is no different from Kogi’s where some sudden spates of killings erupted and Dino Melaye went to the floor of the Senate to blame it “herdsmen” only for some six suspects who were arrested following deployment of special squad of the IGP to confess thereafter that the same Melaye was the very person who supplied them with the arms and money to destabilize the state
They also wanted Saraki to stay off the current issue that his war with the IGP had led to by allowing the Police to do its job as, according to one of them, “If we must get over the killings we have blamed on an entire tribe of Nigeria, Fulani, whose main trade is herding of cows, then there must not be politicization of this national security matter. After all the same Saraki set up probe panel in his own issue and also served as judged in his own court. Why then having to go to that damaging extent to allege a plot by the IGP to frame and implicate him without cogent evidence he was saying the truth?” He said.
