Ondo State Commissioner of Police, Mr Salami Amidu Bolaji, has said that it is the Inspector General of Police, IGP, who orders posting of policemen to deputy governors, adding that his mission in Ondo State comes first above any kind of distractions.
Reacting to a rumour of a withdrawal of Policemen from Hon Agboola Ajayi, the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, by Ondo Police Command, CP Bolaji said this is never of his interest.
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“Let it be clearly understood that the posting of Policemen to deputy governors in the country is the prerogative of the Inspector-General of Police and no Commissioner of Police can call for their withdrawal.
“However, let it be known that policemen attached to Government Houses take directives from the Chief Security Officer to the Governor who can post and withdraw according to the reason and purpose that suit him.
“But cannot for whatever reason withdraw policemen posted from the Force Headquarters to a Deputy Governor.”
CP Salami said those pruning this rumour against him should know that he is in the State to serve every one and would, therefore, not do anything that may be inimical to the life and property of any one, referring to the rumour as the figment of the imagination of mischief makers.
He further said it had become an artistic and aesthetic mess in Nigeria to see citizens disparaging their own police.
“Even in the heat of pervasive disagreement, no Commissioner of Police would withdraw police services from any individual; knowing that the reason for policing is the protection of lives and property,” he added.
The CP, however, called Ondo people to save him and Ondo Police Command from what he called orchestrated rumour, while promising that the command will always provide adequate and purposeful policing to all at all times.
It would be recalled that the Ondo State Deputy Governor raised the alarm on Wednesday over what he called the withdrawal of his police escort on the order of the state Commissioner of Police.
Ajayi said the move was putting his life, family and staff in danger.
He said the Commissioner of Police took him hostage on Saturday 21st of June, 2020 for more than four hours at the Government House gate despite the fact that he enjoys immunity under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
He said: “We are not oblivious of their surreptitious move to undermine the security of the deputy governor and strip him of his security apparatus to make him venerable in order to carry out their evil agenda.
“The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, and the Director General of State Security Service, Yusuf Magaji Bichi should be aware of this latest ugly development in Ondo State.
“Should anything happen to the deputy governor, his family and staff, the Commissioner of Police in Ondo State should be held responsible.”
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