Dino: Kogi CP Removed Over Escape Of Suspects

*Dino Issues IGP 48 Hours Ultimatum To Re-arrest Suspects

The Inspector General of Police, (IGP)Ibrahim K. Idris,on Wednesday  ordered the immediate removal of Kogi state Commissioner of Police, CP Ali Janga.

Vanguard reports that, the IGP directed the CP Esa Sunday Ogbu, Commissioner of Police, Federal Operations, Force Headquarters, Abuja to immediately proceed and take over as the new Commissioner of Police of the State.

The Police in a statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer Force headquarters, ACP Jimoh Moshood, on Wednesday said the IGP  was 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 the son of former Kogi State governor, Mohammed Audu Abubakar 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 (Wednesday).

The Vanguard also reports that Idris ordered the transfer out of the state the Commander FSARS in the state, the Divisional Police Officer ‘A’ Division, Lokoja and other Police officers implicated in the escape of two suspects that named  Melaye as the supplier of guns. The Police in Lokoja on Wednesday said that the two suspects that named the lawmaker as the supplier of guns to them had escaped from custody.

Janga, had told pressmen in Lokoja that the two suspects, Kabiru Seidu alias Osama and Nuhu Salisu alias Small, escaped at about 3:21 a.m. at the A Police Division in Lokoja where they were being kept in lawful custody.

According to him, four other suspects escaped along with Seidu and Salisu, bringing the total number of fleeing suspects to six. He said the two suspects escaped on Wednesday when they were supposed to be arraigned before a Lokoja Federal High Court alongside Melaye and Audu who was also named by the suspects as their sponsor.

The commissioner identified Aliyu Isa , Adams Suleiman, Emmanuel Audu and Musa Mohammed as four other suspects that escaped from custody. He said that 13 policemen comprising five operatives of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and eight conventional policemen on duty when the incident happened had been detained for interrogation.

“ The 13 police officers who were on duty when the incident occurred were defaulted and detained for interrogation,” he said.

Janga also stated that the names of the six fleeing suspects and that of Dino Melaye and Mohammed Audu had been sent for watch listing by the Interpol for immediate arrest anywhere they are found.

But in a swift response, Sen. Melaye, who along with Audu was declared wanted by the police asked the IGP to produce Seidu and Salisu within 48 hours.