Police defends performance in probe of murder cases
POLICE authorities yesterday faulted growing insinuations that the organisation is a serial failure in arresting criminals and bringing them to justice, especially in murder cases affecting dignitaries in the country.
A daily newspaper (not The Guardian), had in an editorial on Wednesday, accused the Force of sloppiness and outright incompetence in investigating several high profile murder cases in the country.
In the editorial, entitled: "Police and Justice, "the newspaper said the Force made a messy job of investigations in the murder of former Attorney General of the Federation, Chief James Ajibola Ige and former Deputy National Chairman of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Marshall Harry, who later switched camp to the rival All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP)".
Also mentioned are Marshall's successor, the late Aminasoari Dikibo and a former chairman of the Kogi State Independent National Electoral Commission, the late Chief Phillip Olorunnipa.
The newspaper also expressed despair over the police probe of the ex-convict allegation against the Delta State governor, Chief James Onanefe Ibori.
But a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Chris Olakpe, yesterday said that the editorial was unfair and sensational, considering the enormous successes that the force had recorded in curbing the crime wave in the country.
The statement read: "Going by the sensational nature of the report, which has cried foul where there is none, the Force would have ignored the editorial for what it is; a mischievous publication designed to damage the impeccable service records of the IGP in particular and the entire Police Force in general. However, the Police High Command wishes to lay the facts bare for discerning Nigerians to study and draw their respective conclusions."
Olakpe added: "In all the sensitive cases mentioned by the editorial...the Police had conducted its investigations in the most meticulous and professional manner, at the end of which it forwarded the case files to the office of the Director of Prosecution, the Ministry of Justice, where the final vetting was made and prosecution of key suspects initiated. And for the Ibori's case, the matter is subject to court adjudication and it is important to remind the editorial board that the Police is not a party in the case".
The Police spokesman said that it was "arbitrary and rather suspicious" for the newspaper editorial "to use a single parameter in comparing the Police leadership with those of similar outfits like the CBN, NAFDAC and the EPCC without recourse to the multi-faced, extensive, demanding and onerous nature of police job as against the rather definite and concise duties of these smaller outfits, which operational arms are equally manned by members of the Nigeria Police Force."
The statement urged the newspaper to cross check its facts with relevant authorities, adding "it is on record the Police Force as currently constituted has contributed immensely to the safety and security of our society. This fact is buttressed by the latest report of the National Economic and Intelligence Committee (NEIC) which gave a pass mark on the leadership of the Force, for bringing crime rate to an all time low level in the country."`
