Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole yesterday accused Nigerian police of complicity in the murder of his Private Secretary Olaitan Oyerinde.
He called for immediate dismissal of the Deputy Inspector General of Police Peter Yisa Gana and other officers who handled the investigation of the murder.
Mr Oyerinde was killed at his home in Benin, Edo State capital, in May last year and many suspects are currently in police custody over the case.
But Governor Oshiomhole yesterday alleged that the police were either involved in the murder or are shielding the murderers.
He made the allegation in the presence of Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo and Inspector General of Police Mohammed Abubakar at the launching of ‘Code of Conduct and Professional Standards for Nigeria Police Officers’ in Abuja.
He said: “Inspector General, you know I am aggrieved; I am aggrieved over the murder of my private secretary and the way in which your men handled the matter.
“My secretary was murdered in cold blood and the IG (Inspector General) dispatched a DIG (Deputy Inspector General of Police) to supervise that investigation because the president ordered for an investigation.
“The DIG and other officers came to Benin and did what Fela (Anikulapo Kuti) would have called ‘police magic’ and in the end they arrested a civil right activist and charged him with murder.
“They wrote a report which is their report and with their signature in it. It said, and I will like to quote, that the man who was involved in the murder, according to the record of the police including the entry made by a DPO (Divisional Police Officer) in a police station, was already under police detention at the time my private secretary was murdered.
“Again, the weapon that was used for the murder was used for armed robbery, recovered by the police and was in police custody at the time my secretary was murdered. So, the man who murdered my secretary was in police custody (and) the gun used was in police custody.
“The only conclusion that can be reached is: the police ordered the killing of my private secretary. And the officer who did the report said he had done a thorough job under the DIG in charge of the Force CID (Criminal Investigations Department).
“I take every sense of responsibility because the obligation I hold to my secretary, who was murdered, is to tell the truth even if that will cost me my own life.
“The DIG in charge of the Force CID has a case to answer. He is either guilty of conspiracy to murder or guilty of conspiracy to shield murderers or both. If this case is true, he cannot wear the police uniform; he must be dismissed, I mean the DIG in charge of Force CID.
“The deputy commissioner he used, who claimed they had done a thorough job, has no business wearing police uniform. I ask the VP (Vice President Sambo) to report to the president that if they do not find the killers of Olaitan, he can’t expect the people of Edo State and all those who know Olaitan to have confidence in the security agencies.
“As a governor I cannot get justice. If I can’t get justice, then an average Nigerian cannot get justice.
“The SSS (State Security Service) paraded those who killed Olaitan but the DIG, working with another junior officer, appeared to shield the actual murderers, parading an innocent human right activist and detained him for two months without trial.
“I do not intend to joke for as long as I remained the governor of Edo State, if I cannot tell the truth, God should take my life,” he said.
Turning to the police code of conduct that was launched yesterday, Governor Oshiomhole asked: “If we find that the code has been breached who can we complain to? And what are the sanctions?
“One of the problems of Nigeria today including the police and even in the civil service is the culture of impunity: that people do things and get away with it. Now, in Edo State, I want to be specific, a policeman mounted an illegal roadblock contrary to the order of the IG. Members of public complained. It was discovered that a soldier was recruited illegally by an ASP (Assistant Superintendent of Police) to man this illegal roadblock and extort money.
“In my view, that is armed robbery, because the man was carrying a gun without which he cannot subdue the people. So, for me, not being a lawyer, it is an armed robbery.
“When they were arrested, the army proceeded to do what a responsible body should do, and dismissed the soldier. IG, you will be shocked to know, and this is not ten years ago, that your men in Benin decided to shield those officers and recently I learnt that one of them was promoted. While the military dismissed the soldier, the police promoted their own.
“The IG should order the dismissal of the officers today and query officers involved in the crime. When we begin to apply the stick and carrot appropriately, it makes us to do the right thing,” he added.
Responding, Inspector General Abubakar told the governor that Oyerinde’s murder case is still under instigation and that justice will be done to all parties.
He said under his leadership the police has “vowed with vehemence to return the force to its glorious days, rooted in discipline, in adherence to extant rules and regulations, loyalty, dedication to duty and commitment to force ethics”.
Mr Abubakar said “a disciplined and accountable police force is a catalyst to economic and social development.” Effort to reach DIG Peter Yisa Gana for his reaction was unsuccessful last night.
In his message to the launching, President Goodluck Jonathan, represented by Vice President Sambo, said the essence of the code was to ensure that policemen abide by the law and act according to international best practices.
“Our objective is to transform the police,” he said. “Its strict enforcement must be given priority.”
The newly launched ‘code of conduct’ outlines the required ways in which police officers should act whether on or off duty.
It says “a police officer will never employ unnecessary force or violence and will use only such force in discharge of duty, as is reasonable in all circumstances”.
Similarly, it says, “whatever a police officer sees, hears or learns, which is confidential in nature, will be kept secret unless the performance of duty or legal provision requires otherwise.”
Furthermore “officers will refuse to accept any gifts, presents, subscriptions, favours, gratuities or promises that could be interpreted as seeking to cause the officer to refrain from performing official responsibilities honestly and within the law.”
It directs police officers to “provide every person in our society with professional, effective and efficient law enforcement service”.
It says “officers must obey lawful orders, and must refuse to obey any orders that are manifestly unlawful.”
The code also bans officers from consuming alcoholic beverages while on duty.
-DailyTrust