Kogi suspects’ escape: Thumps up for IGP

The Inspector General of Police, Idris Abubakar, took an action considered to be in tandem with international best practices this Wednesday when he ordered immediate removal of the Kogi state Commissioner of Police, Ali Janga, following the reports confirming the escape of some suspects in connection with ongoing case involving Senator Dino Melaye, a serving Senator from the state.
The IGP also ordered that other senior officers in the state vacate their positions on the suspicion of complicity in the inexplicable escape of the suspects. Thirteen of the officers directly involved in custody of the six suspects, including two principal ones, Kabiru Seidu (Osama) and Nuhu Salisu (Small), who indicted Melaye and Muhammed Audu in a case of conspiracy and unlawful possession of prohibited firearm, have been arrested for prosecution.
The escape of the suspects from police custody has thrown up several questions suggesting complicity and dereliction of duty. Allowing the escape of those dangerous suspects by the officers is an affront to the nation’s security authorities. This is moreso when they were not arrested by a snap of the finger in the first place. Some of the escaped suspects were said to have been in the police wanted list in the state for some time.
That they could successfully beat the security and perfect their escape with the Commissioner gleefully confirming such in a statement only goes to indicate that the people in the state may not be safe after all. This is considering the fact that the suspects may have been arrested based on information from the public. Chances are that with the obvious collaboration of the officers involved, the identity of the informer may have been busted and only God knows how the notorious escapees would decide to handle such person.
The IGP’s immediate reaction has continued to attract kudos from the public who were taken aback by the development suggesting corruption and gross incompetence in the Nigeria Police. The sack of the state police commissioner is commendable. Such dangerous suspects should not have been allowed to escape under any circumstance.
The state of the nation’s Police cell facility must be examined as there was no report of any break before the suspect escaped from detention. This only points to possible negligence or connivance in the part of the officers involved.
The IGP’s removal order and immediate action taken against the officers involved has rekindled the hope of the common man. It has restored the confidence of the public in the Police boss’ ability to deal with the bad eggs in the service.
But Abubakar should ensure that those found culpable in the inglorious escape of the suspect are brought to book. They should be subjected to a show of shame so as to serve as deterrents to others.
Similar action is expected to be taken in other security agencies, especially in the military where there were allegations that some officers were aiding and abetting killer herders and other acknowledged terrorists in the country.