Benue killings: ‘IGP flouting FG’s directive’

A civil society group,  the Sanctity Transparency Peace Initiative, has alleged that the Inspector General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, has been flouting a directive of President Muhammadu Buhari asking the police chief to relocate to Benue to stem the tide of killings in the state.

In a communiqué issued after its emergency meeting in Abuja, and signed by its national coordinator, Sunday Alakho,  it condemned what it described as the deteriorating security situation in the country,  particularly in Benue.

The group asked the IGP to come clean on the alleged complicity of the police and its alleged negligence, which it said had worsened the herdsmen crisis.

It also condemned the “less than salutary role of the IGP,” just as it accused the IGP of flouting the directive of President Buhari to relocate to Benue.

It rated the intervention of the police as a monumental failure because, according to him, “the killings have continued unabated.”

Stretching its  argument of bias against the IGP,  the group claimed that the complicity of the police was confirmed by the reference to Governor Samuel Ortom as a “ drowning man” by the a Force Public Relations Officer, Mr Jimoh Moshood.

He urged Nigerians not to take this characterisation lightly as it could be interpreted to mean the safety of the governor was being threatened.

In a related development, another group, Benue Arise Network, has raised the alarm of an alleged plan by the IGP to replace Benue indigenes in top positions in the police within the state with those who would do his bidding.

The group director  of media and publicity, Mr Terfa Youghyough, disclosed this in a press statement made available to our correspondent in Makurdi on Saturday, and also appealed to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to come to the aid of the more than 100,000 displaced persons in designates camps within the state.

The group which cited the invitation  of Gboko Divisional Police Officer, DPO, to Abuja after a mob action in Gboko penultimate week as the initial step noted that it was a guise by the police boss to perpetuate his agenda in the state

While calling on president Muhammad Buhari as well as the Police Service Commission, PSC to investigate the matter, the group noted that the police authority was yet to invite leaders of the Miyeitti Allah Kotal Hore who had allegedly admit complicity in the attacks on people of the state.

According to the group, ‘the IG  has directed a compilation of the list of all Benue indigenes in positions of authority within the state. ‘

“His intention is to transfer all of them out of the state and replace them with those who will do his bidding.

“We call on the President, Police Service Commission to investigate this issue.”

The group noted that with the cynical statements already made by the police boss and the force spokesman, Jimoh Moshood were manifestation of the deliberate hatred of police authority to the people of the state.

“In the light of the fore-going, we call for the immediate resignation, dismissal  or sack of the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, and the Police Public Relation Officer, Jimoh Moshood.

“We demand a full explanation from the Nigerian Police on what the spokesman means by his assertion that the Governor of Benue State is a drowning man.

“ We are aware that police officers guard Governor Samuel Ortom, if the police now refer to Governor Ortom as a drowning man, is the security of the Governor guaranteed?

“Is there anything the police know that we are not aware of?’ the group asked.

The group charged the federal government to proscribe  Miyetti Allah group and a declare it a terrorist group and should be treated as such.

It also appealed to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to come to the aid of over 100,000 displaced persons in designates camps in within the state.