By Baron Ike
It has emerged that the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris has been doing everything in his capacity to exonerate himself and his men from blame on the recent invasion of the National Assembly by security operatives.
On Tuesday, August 7, Senators and House of Representatives members were stopped from entering the NASS complex by security operatives, but largely men of the DSS.
The Presidency saw the act as an embarrassment an according sacked the DG of the DSS, Lawal Daura as a way of reassuring the international community that Nigeria’s democracy was not under any threat by overzealous politicians and security men.
The Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo did not waste time in ordering the sack of those responsible for the show of shame.
Many had thought that the DG DSS and the IGP whose men were found on the complex were actually acting on directives from above (meaning from their superiors).
After Osinbajo directed the sack of Daura, he was said to have also given Idris a query to explain what h knew about the development .
Sources told Armadanews.com that Idris was in panicky mood on receipt of Osinbajo’s query, particularly on the directive from the presidency to respond within the next 24 hours in a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the invasion. “He thought that was the end of his career,” a senior cop hinted.
According to our source, the heavy indictment which police heaped on Daura was nothing but a desperate move by the police leadership to exonerate itself of blame.
Idris not only detailed a commissioner of police to move into action, but he he made sure the report heaped so much blame on the DSS to the advantage of the police.
Within 24 hours, the police interim investigation report commissioned by the Inspector General of Police was submitted to the acting Osinbajo, that is on Wednesday, August 8 while the query was issued on Tuesday, August 7 .
In the report, the police found the sacked Daura culpable of trespass, invasion, abridgment of the rights of the lawmakers, among other crimes on Tuesday August 7.
The report was personally signed by Idris and indicated that Daura may have worked closely with some highly placed politicians to achieve the invasion on the NASS complex.
The report nailed Daura as his men confirmed they were at the NASS on his orders. There was no mention of police personnel found at the complex on the fateful day.
The police also found Daura guilty of not sharing information with either the Acting President or the DSS sister agencies like the police, particularly over his claim that suspected persons were bringing dangerous weapons into the NASS premises to cause havoc.
Police report strongly doubted Daura’s claim of intelligence report at his disposal that necessitated the invasion and abuse of the rights of the lawmakers.
Idris further said in the report that it was for “the kind consideration of Osinbajo and further advice.”
Sources said Idris was completely relieved when he submitted the report and also got the further nod of the Presidency to do more criminal checks on Daura, a man who was already in the bad books of many Nigerians because of his alleged arrogance and abuse of his closeness to President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to recent checks on Daura’s residence by the police, an arsenal of loaded weapons – including an Uzi sub-machine gun – hundreds of assault rifles and a vast quantity of PVCs and cash said to be over N21 billion were allegedly discovered.
The items allegedly belong to the sacked Daura.
Per Second News reported that the money was found at the guest house of the former DG at Usama street, off Gana, in Maitama, Abuja.
The sacked DG is alleged to be engaged in dealings involving $21 million handed over to him by his predecessor, Ita Ekpenyong.
Ekpenyong was arrested by the economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday and after interrogation was released same day.
His interrogation was related to how he managed funds approved by former National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki ahead of the 2015 polls.