Reps to query Arase over N18b vote for security, recruitment exercise

• 20 officers sanctioned from 1,054 complaints
• IG mourns slain corps member
• Lagos Police dismiss robber cops

The House of Representatives yesterday resolved to ask the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Solomon Arase questions over the usage of N10 billion released to the Nigeria Police Force by President Muhammadu Buhari to fight insecurity.

Adopting the motion sponsored by Johnbull Shekarau (Shendam/Mikang, Qua’an/Pan: PDP: Plateau) at the plenary presided by Speaker Yakubu Dogara, the lawmakers also resolved to probe the utilisation of N8 billion allegedly released to the police chief on the orders of President Buhari.

Shekarau wondered why there had been an increase in the rate of kidnapping, high profile murders and other violent criminal activities in spite of the huge sums of monies at the disposal of the police chief.

The lawmaker also expressed concern that the Police Service Commission commenced the recruitment exercise without adequate preparation by the Nigeria Police Force, even after the release of N8 billion for the exercise. He added that the police training colleges are still dilapidated and infested with rodents.

The motion was unanimously adopted just as the House Committee on Police Affairs was asked to conduct a holistic investigation into the issue and report back to the House within two weeks.

The House also yesterday ordered the immediate probe of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) for allegedly misapplying billions pensioners monies over the years.

Adopting a motion jointly sponsored by Messrs Sergius Ose Ogun and Lawal Abubakar Garba, the lawmakers mandated the House Committee on Pensions to audit the assets of pension offices existing before the commencement of the Pension Reform Act, 2014 that were transferred to the PTAD.

And in a motion sponsored by Rep Christopher Ngoro Agibe (Boki/Ikom: PDP: Rivers) the House ordered the immediate probe of the efficacy of the dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) in the quest to eradicate the menace posed by malaria in the country.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Police Force yesterday said 20 police officers were sanctioned out of the 1054 complaints received in the first three (3) months of the year by the Compliant Response Unit (CRU) because some of the reported cases did not only lack credible evidence, but were preemptive.

Officer in Charge of the Unit, Abayomi Shogunle, said most of the cases were resolved within 24 hours of the time they were reported, because the complainants’ either could not substantiate their cases or do not have incontrovertible evidence against the Police Officer.

While stating that they were able to resolve 899 reported cases, Shogunle explained that “some of these complaints came up due to the fact that, the person making the compliant wanted the authority to be aware. Other reported cases were made because of the mindset people already have about the Police, believing that they might not get justice.

Yesterday too, the IG Arase condoled with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and the family of corps member, Okonta Dumebi Samuel, who was killed by unknown gunmen during the March re-run legislative elections in Rivers State.

Arase said this when the new NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Sule Kazaure paid him a courtesy visit at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.