The police yesterday denied ever shunning Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to release its top investigative officers to the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property
The force said it has released about 33 officers and men to the panel to hasten its work.
It also explained that a Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abduyari Lafia was redeployed to the Police Academy in Kano because he was yet to account for a $20,000 exhibit cash in his possession as a former head of Intelligence Bureau in the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCIID).
The Force spokesman, CSP Moshood Jimoh made the clarifications in a chat with our correspondent against the backdrop of allegations that the police defied the directive of the Vice President.
Jimoh said: “The police did not defy the directive of the Vice President to release any police officer to the Special Investigation Panel on Panel for the Recovery of Public Property. Instead, we have complied by sending competent hands to the panel.
“Already, 33 police officers and men have been released to the panel based on the request of the Chairman of the panel, Okoi Obono-Obla to the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, on September 8.
“We did not shun because the DCP was under investigation for failure to release the sum of $20,000 exhibit money in his custody in a different matter which he investigated and the case was terminated by the Attorney- General of the Federation through the Office of the DPP.
“This was the reason why he was redeployed from that position to the Police Academy to pave the way for a thorough and unhindered investigation about his role in the failure to render account of the exhibit.
“Normally, when a matter is terminated for want of prosecution or legal process exhausted, exhibits with the police are always released to the owner on bond.
“Therefore, the DCP was not transferred because of the ongoing investigation of $1million fraud.
Responding to a question, Jimoh added: “Transfer is a routine administrative tool to ensure effective and efficient service delivery of an officer to the Force and not punishment.”
The reported alleged disagreement between the Special Presidential Panel for the Recovery of Public Property and the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris over demand by the panel for the redeployment of an officer, DCP Abduyari Lafia.
Lafia, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, had earned the confidence of the panel for uncovering how a syndicate defrauded a businessman, Mr. Austine Ugochukwu Albert of $1million.
But his recommendation for promotion to a Commissioner of Police was withdrawn at the last minute following alleged refusal to stay action on the $1million based on pressure from some bigwigs.
Although Lafia was promised a bribe of $100,000, he insisted on bringing members of the syndicate to justice.
Following his unyielding position, some police officers were alleged to have conspired to transfer him from the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) in Abuja to the Police Academy (POLAC) in Kano.
The police, however, said Lafia’s redeployment had no link with the probe of the $1m fraud.
