Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), on Monday in Lagos called for the immediate sack of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba.
CUPP described it as culpable negligence of duty, failing to effect the arrest of the principal suspect who openly threatened to deal with the Coalition’s national spokesperson, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, on January 14.
It would be recalled that a few days ago, some unknown gunmen stormed the Imo residence of Ikenga, who is a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for House of Representatives, killed his uncle and two others, burnt the residence and all the vehicles found on the premises.
The Coalition’s National Co-Spokesperson, Comrade Mark Adebayo, made this call at a press conference, which took place at the Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja.
He said that CUPP frowned seriously at the attitude of police authorities, and alleged that the police authorities were engaging in a cover-up scheme in a criminal incident of that magnitude in cahoots with the Imo State government.
According to him, the incident happened despite the fact that they had been alerted through a petition on the alleged threats to Ikenga’s life by an aide to the Imo State governor.
Chinasa Nwaneri said that the police refused to invite him for questioning nor did they get him arrested after the threats have been carried out.
He added “It is extremely baffling and disappointing that ten days after those hired terrorists carried out their horrific attacks against Ikenga, no arrests have been made despite overwhelming evidence as to who could have planned, sponsored, and executed that carnage.
“It is more disappointing and much painful that the Nigeria Police have refused to play their constitutional role of arresting the suspected sponsors of that crime despite establishing indubitable evidence against one Chinasa Nwaneri who openly threatened Ikenga that he would deal with him among other severe threats on phone,” Adebayo stated.
The Coalition’s National Co-Spokesperson, while calling on the sack of IG, posited that nothing prevented the police from arresting or even inviting Chinasa Nwaneri “for questioning on his viral threats against Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere that later led to Ikenga’s attempted assassination and burning of his properties and killing his people.”
“Therefore, if the Imo State Police Commissioner and the IGP wouldn’t act on this horribly condemnable criminality bordering on politically motivated terrorism, the CUPP demands the immediate resignation of IGP, Usman Alkali Baba, or he is fired by Mr. President who has pledged a level playing field for all in the coming elections,” he said.
CUPP, however, said it remained confident that its spokesperson, Ikenga, would win his House of Representatives election for Ideato Federal Constituency of Imo State despite the carnage unleashed on him, just as it expressed its appreciation to Nigerians for what it called overwhelming support for its spokesperson through phone calls and solidarity messages.