Benue killings: IGP under fire as senator accuses him of making untrue statements

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- The inspector general of police Ibrahim Idris has been accused by Senator George Akume, of making untrue comments about the killings in Benue

- The senator stated that the statements by the police boss were not based on professional soundness and did not show any detachment and impartiality

- He chided the police boss for not spending enough time in the state, despite the president’s directive; and stated that there were still armed individuals moving about freely in the state

Senator George Akume has launched an attack against the inspector general of police, Ibrahim Idris, over comments made by the latter concerning the Benue killings, Premium Times reports.

Akume, who represents the Benue north-west constituency, made his comments in reaction to a report by the Senate ad-hoc committee on security which visited Benue state.

NAIJ.com gathers that the senator described Idris’ comments as being ‘jaundiced’ and ‘untrue.’

According to Akume, contrary to the directive given by President Muhammadu Buhari, the police boss never stayed long in Benue.

Akume stated: “He didn’t move to Benue state on his own. Following outcries from the Senate, the president directed him to relocate to Benue state for one week.

“He went to Benue state, he was there for one day; he spent two days in Nasarawa and he left.”

The senator further described as untrue, the claim by Idris that some militia were planning to attack Benue.

In his words: “His comments have always been very jaundiced. They are not based on professional soundness and they do not show any detachment and impartiality."

The senator also chided the police boss for failing to discharge his duties effectively as he stated that the killings had continued in Benue state.

He continued: “He said in Benue state, that there are livestock guards and this has been the issue that have been repeatedly made on media; but we have thousands who are moving with AK-47 freely and they have not been arrested.

“As we speak, people are being killed in Benue, Nasarawa, Zamfara, Taraba states. It is not because we are talking anything out of the ordinary.

“We are simply saying that there are armed people who are going round killing our people. For me, it has nothing to do with religion.

“It has everything to do with mischief and economic determinism. The IG has not been fair to the Nigerian people whom he has sworn an oath to serve.”

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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that the Senate stepped down a report by its joint committee on police affairs and national security and intelligence, saying it was ‘one-sided.’

Senators, who spoke on the report presented by the chairman of the panel, Abu Ibrahim, at the plenary on Wednesday, February 7, said it only had the submissions of IGP Ibrahim Idris, who made a series of allegations against Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state.

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