ALLEGED N120BN FRAUD: Police Commission says it lacks power to probe IGP Idris
The Police Service Commission has said that it has no power to investigate the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, over the N120 billion fraud allegations leveled against him by the chairman, Senate Committee on Navy, Senator Isah Misau.
Misau had alleged that Idris collects about N120 billion as bill for special security services. According to him, the Police IG pockets N10 billion monthly as payment for private security services rendered by Nigerian Police to corporate organisations and Very Important Persons.
Misau had also accused the chairman of the Police Service Commission, Mike Okiro (retd.), of involvement in corruption. He alleged that the level of corruption involving the IGP and PSC chairman was so shocking and could undermine the anti-corruption stance of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Following the allegations, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and some other Nigerians have asked the Federal Government to urgently investigate the issue, and ensure it is not swept under the carpet.
But the PSC, a body in charge of promotion and discipline of officers in the Nigeria Police Force, in their reaction to the development said it lacked the power to probe the IGP.
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PSC’s spokesman, Ikechukwu Ani, who made this known to newsmen, said that the IGP was not under the commission’s supervision by virtue of the Act that established the PSC. He said that the law only permits the commission to discipline or probe policemen from the rank of constable to Deputy Inspector-General of Police.
“So, the commission cannot investigate or discipline the IG,” Ani explained.
At the moment, it is not yet clear if the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has started investigation into the allegations.
At the moment, feelers from the office of the anti-graft agency indicate that the body is currently unperturbed about the damning allegations.