The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris has demanded that FCT High Court award damages of N5 billion against Senator Hamman Misau (APC, Bauchi) over alleged defamation against him, according to a dailytrust.com report.
The IGP, through his lawyer Barrister Marcel Oru in a 5-count charge is also asking for an order of the court directing Misau to publish an apology in conspicuous pages of two widely read national newspapers.
He also asked for an order of injunction restraining Misau from further publishing, causing to be published, the said words similarly defamatory of the plaintiff.
In the statement of claims attached to the charge, it was alleged that the IGP’s “reputation has been seriously damaged and has suffered and still suffering considerable distress, loss of reputation, embarrassment, shame, odium, anxiety, anguish, opprobrium and injury to his feelings.”
The IGP also said because of the allegations leveled against him by Misau, “he is now being shunned by some friends, colleagues, members of the Armed Forces, senior government officials, international bodies and being hated by some members of the public and seen as a corrupt and incompetent person to run and manage the Nigeria Police Force.”
Part of the allegations by Misau considered injurious to the IGP and the Nigeria Police Force was that police officers allegedly paid N2.5 million to get special promotion and posting through the Police Service Commission.
He also accused the IGP, of collecting as payment for Special security service rendered by the police to corporate bodies, oil firms and highly placed citizens.
“Specifically, the IGP, on good authority from within the force, collects over N10bn on monthly basis as money for special security provided by men of the force to corporate bodies and highly placed individuals, including criminals, running to N120bn on a yearly basis without any reflection in the police’ annual budget or internally generated revenue,” the statement of claim quoted Misau to have alleged.
The case has been assigned to Justice Jude Okeke and fixed for hearing on November 13.
