Attack on me, attempt to dodge issues raised against IGP —Senator Misau

CHAIRMAN, Senate Committee on Navy, Senator Isha Misau, has declared that the attack on him is an attempt to dodge issues he raised about the police force.

He also said that he never deserted the police force as claimed by the force’s authority.

The senator said in Abuja, on Monday, that the claims by the Police were unfounded, adding that he retired normally.

He stated: “I am not surprised that the Police Force left unaddressed the weighty issues raised in my concerns over unwholesome practices in an institution I dedicated the active part of my youthful years.

“It only goes to affirm my worries over the current leadership of the Force. For the avoidance of doubt, I strictly followed the provisions of the Police Act and Regulations in resigning my position with the Nigerian Police.

“Not wanting to join issues with the rambling incoherence of the Force spokesman, the Police have always known my whereabouts since my resignation.

“Moreover, I have been in the Senate for about two and half years without any mention of my deserting until my innocuous caution against practices capable of destroying the Police Force.

“It is beyond curiosity that the Police would be looking for someone clearly in plain sight for these past years. Little wonder the proliferation of crime in the country and the Police apparent cluelessness, especially under the current leadership of IGP.

“The real issue is the illegal promotion in the Police Force and its potential to undermine operational capacity of the Force. The IGP and the chairman of Police Service Commission (PSC) should prove me wrong and not embark on voyage of discovery,” the senator said in a statement released on Monday.

It will be recalled that reports credited to the IGP, Ibrahim Idris, indicated that the senator was a police deserter.

Senator Misau, had earlier in an interview alleged that the IGP was pocketing huge sums from officers who pay bribes for promotions and juicy postings as well as from some corporate organisations.

The Police, however, in two separate statements last week accused the senator of being a deserter and equally asked him to face a probe panel or risk being declared wanted.

The police had raised allegations against Misau including that he “dubiously absconded and deserted the Police on September 24, 2010, when he was redeployed to Niger State Command, consequent upon which he was queried, in line with the Public Service Rules.

The police also accused the senator of having faced disciplinary investigation when he allegedly refused to proceed on Junior Command Course (JCC) 49/2008 at Staff College, Jos, between January 15, 2009 and June 19, 2009.