TheCable

Ibrahim Idris, inspector-general of police, has removed Ali Janga, commissioner of police in Kogi, over the escape of suspects who allegedly indicted Dino Melaye, senator representing Kogi west.

The suspects were said to have accused Melaye of supplying arms to them. They were to be arraigned at a federal high court in Lokoja on Wednesday.

But Janga later announced that the suspects escaped from custody around 3:21am on Wednesday.

In a statement issued hours after the former commissioner’s announcement, Jimioh Moshood, spokesman of the Nigeria Police Force, said apart from the disciplinary action taken against Janga, all the officers on duty as of the time the suspects reportedly escaped had been transferred out of Kogi.

“The inspector-general of Police, IGP Ibrahim K. Idris, NPM, mni, dissatisfied with the circumstances surrounding the escape of six (6) suspects including two (2) principal suspects (KABIRU SEIDU A.K.A OSAMA, NUHU SALISU A.K.A SMALL) who indicted Senator Dino Melaye and Mohammed Audu in a case of conspiracy and unlawful possession of prohibited firearm already filed at the federal high court, Lokoja which came up in court today, 28thMarch, 2018, has ordered the immediate removal of commissioner of police, Kogi state command, CP Ali Janga,” the statement read.

“The commander FSARS in the State, the divisional police officer ‘A’ Division, Lokoja and other police officers implicated in the escape for negligence, dereliction of duty and gross misconduct in the escape of the six (6) suspects have also been transferred out of the state and are facing serious disciplinary action.

“Thirteen (13) other police officers are currently being detained and investigated for their roles in the escape.
CP Esa Sunday Ogbu, Commissioner of Police, Federal Operations, Force Headquarters, Abuja has been directed by the IGP to immediately proceed and take over as the new commissioner of Police, Kogi state police command.

“Furthermore, on the order of the IGP, the IGP’s Intelligence Response Team and Special Tactical Squad, Personnel of the Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department have already arrived in Kogi State to work with the police personnel in the State for immediate re-arrest of the escaped suspects. They are to also carry out detail investigation into the escape and bring all those involved to justice.”

Responding to the reports of their escape, Melaye asked the police to produce them dead or alive.