Acting Inspector General of Police has accused his predecessor, Solomon Arase of leaving office with 24 cars. According to the Ag IGP Ibrahim Idris he said that Arase left with an armoured BMW 7 series, even as he said that he (Idris) inherited an old car.
Speaking with Journalists on Sunday he said that even AIGs that retired with Arase also left with about 7 and 8 cars each.
Speaking he said; “A week before I was announced IG, when you look through my office window, you could see so many cars. But the cars all disappeared when I came in.”
“When I took over, there were no vehicles. I discovered that the last IG went away with 24 vehicles, including two BMWs. The DIGs some took seven, others eight. And they left me with an old vehicle.
“What I did in that was to assign a directive to the special investigative unit for them to investigate all vehicles’ purchases and donations to the police in the last three years as well as their positions.”
The Ag. IGP also said that he has asked the former IGP to return the government properties that he has now converted to his personal use, as he said; “Even the one I follow the president with, the last time I went for an engagement, the president asked what I was doing with that kind of vehicle.
“The headlight has changed colour, which means it was parked for long under the rain, but the new ones that were bought, including an Armoured BMW 7 series, he took them away.
“So, I wrote to him and reminded him of the police rule. When a policeman retires as IG, DIG, AIG or CP, he is entitled to some vehicles. So, he should take his entitlement and return the extra. I believe four vehicles are enough for an average person. What does one need 24 vehicles for?”
Also Idris stated that he has also started investigating irregularities in promotion in the force, stating that he was a victim of injustice – saying spent five years as commissioner of police while some of his juniors were promoted above him.
“I know how it feels. I was CP for five years while some of my colleagues who became CP were made AIGs within two years. So, I know how it feels. We have discussed it before I travelled.
“The new management will investigate the recent promotions. We will constitute a panel to see if the promotions were done in line with the Police Service Commission rules. This is a constitutional issue.
“There is a policy and we need to find out if these promotions were done in accordance with laid down principles,” he said.
Idris hinted on the alleged contract inflation, corruption and mismanagement of police investments adding that the outcome of a panel of investigation set up to look into the matter would determine if the ex-police IG should be probed or not.
