You're on your own, ex-IG tells Ehindero

Evidently piqued and submerged in shame over the recent N21 million scam at the Louis Edet House Force Headquarters of the Nigeria police, former Inspectors General of police may have resolved to distance themselves from the plight of immediate past police chief, Sunday Ehindero, who is currently at the center of a financial mess for which no fewer than three of his close aides including a commissioner of police, are being interrogated.

Former Inspector General of police during the General Ibrahim Babangida regime, Alhaji Aliyu Attah, gave the indication on Tuesday in Abuja, saying most of the ex-IGPs are worried and angry over the development, more so, with the recurring desecration of the hitherto exalted office in recent times.

In an exclusive interview with Sunday Sun at his Asokoro residence in Abuja, Attah, a prince of Ebiraland in Kogi state, who, alongside Alhaji Muhammadu Gambo-Jimeta, had taken erstwhile IGP, Tafa Balogun, on bail last year at an Abuja Federal High Court during his trial for misappropriation of public funds, emphatically declared that he would lift a finger to rescue Ehindero if he is found culpable at the completion of the on-going investigations and eventually charged to court.
Like in the case of Tafa Balogun who was arraigned on multiple charges bothering on corruption and money laundering by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC], Attah says Ehindero should also be made to face the wrath of the law if proven to have soiled his hands.

Said he: “If it is proven that he embezzled money meant for junior officers, they should take him to court. Didn’t they take Tafa to court. Our own was just to bail him, we didn’t say they should not sentence him. So, they should take him to court and then if some other IGPs can come and bail him, maybe Smith, but as for me, I am not a charge and bail IG”.

Attah, who blamed governments at the federal and state levels for the emerging trend of large scale corruption at the top hierarchy of the police force, said after consultations and discussions on telephone with most of his former colleagues, it is evident that most of them are angry that Ehindero has brought them another cause to bury their heads in shame.
Excerpts:

Tafa Balogun was there as IGP, he brought shame to police. Now, it is Ehindero in another controversy over missing police funds. Does this not worry you as a former IGP. Has former IGPs met to discuss the trend?
We set up this EX-IGPs forum which I initiated, and I was waiting for government to grab it and use it. Because if government can grab it and use it and they allow us to hold meetings maybe thrice or four times in a year, they organize hotels for us to stay and other minor logistics, it would have been alright. But somebody like Etim Iyang, he is in the Calabar area, and because you want to hold a meeting, he uses his pension money to come here, pay hotel and other expenses, do you thing it is possible? Now, there is a colleague of mine who is in London right now because his wife is ill and has been taken there because they can’t treat her here. So, how do you think he can come here to discuss this issue when he has another problem worrying him.

But most of us, we’ve talked on telephone and they are not happy over the development. They are all angry. Everybody is not happy that this thing has happened this way, but let us just hope that it is not what we are hearing. Let’s just hope that it is not the money meant for junior officers that somebody has taken because when I was there, contracts, I didn’t touch it. The DIG Works, then the minister, and some people from the ministry, they sat down, award contracts, then they informed me. All I did was that I would say I needed barracks in so, so states. They awarded the contracts, they published them, and people would apply. Mine was to hear that the buildings were springing up in the states. I didn’t have time for contracts.

With the recurring scams at the top echelon of the police, what measures would you want to be taken in appointing an IGP?
If you want to be screening people, it won’t even work. If you have the intention of stealing money tomorrow, how will I know that you have that mind. It is difficult. The major thing is that the government should leave the police alone. Let them do their job. They should not bring the police into politics. Government should not interfere, they should let the IG and CPs do their own job. You don’t say police, be guiding the place when somebody is thumb-printing in an election. Police job is to stop crime being committed, to arrest whoever commits crime, to protect the people. So, if you find that they bribed the police, find out who did it. If you cannot arrest him, put him to shame. If a governor bribes a CP, and if you say he is above the law to be arrested, if you announce what he did, then, the whole country will know.

In Tafa Balogun's case, he was arrested and prosecuted. Now, Ehindero is still walking free. If it is true that he took public funds, what should happen to him?
I read in the newspapers when he said they are lying against him, that his International passport is still with him, and all that, when they were giving him chieftaincy title in his home town. He said people were just talking, that it was just paper talk, that nothing has been traced to him. That is what he said. He told the whole world that it was a lie.

He says it is a lie, but even the acting IGP said investigation is still ongoing, [cuts in]
The acting IG didn’t say he [Ehindero] was caught. He only said I am not mentioning names. So, until he mentions names. But whatever it is, what I am after is that in Nigeria, people will know things, but they don’t want to come out to say this is what really happened. So, until the person who knows is able to say what he knows, then for now, we take it from what we heard that he [Ehindero] is not involved in anything.

But if proven to have been involved, (cuts in)
Then, deal with him. They should take him to court. Didn’t they take Tafa to court? Ours was just to bail him. We didn’t say they should not sentence him. So, they should take him to court. And then if some other IGPs can come and bail him, maybe Smith, okay. But as for me, I am not a charge and bail IG.

So you won't go and bail him?
No, I am not a charge and bail IG.




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Posted on another thread 6/14/07

The sad part of the whole situation, Ehindero stepped on many toes during his time as the IG, hence folks are very hesitant to step up to help him during this horrible time. Furthermore, Ehindero doesn't exist any more in OBJ's dictionary. Therefore this man is in the bush in the dark all alone.

It is real!

And IBB's is not? where is ur own evidence now?

Trust me, I'm too sensible to be beating a busted drum.

I've said this many time and I will say it again. If Ehindero is not guilty, this man deserves to get an apology from everyone, especially from the Nigerian media.

Infact, I wish the man and his family well.

In my book, you are not guilty and not a criminal till you're proven guilty.

Big B1:

Trust me, I'm too sensible to be beating a busted drum.

I've said this many time and I will say it again. If Ehindero is not guilty, this man deserves to get an apology from everyone, especially from the Nigerian media.

Infact, I wish the man and his family well.

In my book, you are not guilty and not a criminal till you're proven guilty.

My friend you should go and hit you de*k somewhere, you lack the morality to be writting all this shits about Ehirdaro while defending IBB, even if Ehirdaro is a thief and for the fact you refused to hit the nail where IBB is means you are part and parcel of system. take your critism somewhere and stop westing your time. If you feel to bad about it take your case to court.

who is this guy?

Here we go again, who care what other IGP feel or think about Ehindero. BIGB1 when you want to talk of dignity please stop showing people like ATAH and GAMBO who were both ex IGP under IBB your father. I was in Nigeria when GAMBO was shamelessly begging Ehindero for contracts. Ehindero refused to fall into that prey and if you called that stepping on peoples toes, then so be it. I've asked you once and I will ask you again, why should Ehindero be probed and IBB the toothless general who liberated Nigeria by introducing the country to advance fraud, 419 and stole Billions of dollars with all his entourage like Augustus AHihome, ALhaji Abubaker Alhaji, Even David West be left alone?

Big B1:

who is this guy?

you don,t need to know the guy before you grow in wisdom. At the moment you have none.

doncaster:

you don,t need to know the guy before you grow in wisdom. At the moment you have none.

well said.

From all indications ehindero's stint was shady and deserves proper investigation BUT i find it hard to join in your campaign when you brazenly support IBB and even had the nerve to recomend his resurgence on the saddle! Man that was when i gave up on your case.

initiator:

From all indications ehindero's stint was shady and deserves proper investigation BUT i find it hard to join in your campaign when you brazenly support IBB and even had the nerve to recomend his resurgence on the saddle! Man that was when i gave up on your case.

good talk my brother

Every organisation is a true reflection of the leadership.


The policemen extorting and harassing on the roads are a reflection of their DPOs
The DPOs a reflection of the Area commanders
The Area commanders are a reflection of the CPs
The CPs a reflection of their DIGs
The DIGs a reflection of the IG
The IG of course, a true reflection of BABA!!!!!!!

It trickles down the line, I have been told by many men of the police that they fuel and maintain the Police operational vehicles from the monies collected from the road blocks. Are we saying this money was not budgeted for and released from Abuja? Of course somebody must have cleverly diverted or reinvested these funds.

Often the big men in the police claim the police is a reflection of the society I choose to disagree because with good leadership, corruption and abuse would not be as widespread as we have in the Police. Are they claiming more professional bodies like NAFDAC, EFCC or the SSS are operating from the moon. While every organisation would have bad eggs it is usually crippling if the BAD EGG is at the TOP!!!!

If found guilty, Ehindero should be sent to Gasua Prisons for the rest of his =N=20 - COLLECTING LIFE!!!!!!