Police management recalls AIG over misleading statement

TVC N. The Police Management Team, has recalled to the Force headquarters, Abuja, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in Charge of Zone 11, Dan Bature, for making a misleading public statement on police operations.

Bature, who was in charge of Oyo, Osun and Ondo States, was quoted to have said that it was illegal for police officers to check vehicle papers on the highway.

The AIG, who stated this during a two-day official visit to Oyo State Police Command headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan, on October 19,2016, insisted that police officers checking vehicle papers on the highways are on illegal duty.

The News Agency of Nigeria, quoted him as saying that “the duty of the police was not to check vehicle particulars, but to ensure safer roads.”

Our correspondent gathered on Thursday in Abuja, that the Police High Command was embarrassed by Bature’s statement, which portrayed him as ignorant of police duties and responsibility.

A source stated that the police management felt the AIG, was probably not well educated about police operations, hence his recall to Abuja, for briefing.

The source said, “Police officers have the authority to check vehicle papers on the highways and elsewhere because many stolen vehicles have been recovered during routine ‘stop-and-search’ operations when vehicle papers are checked, so the AIG was wrong to have said policemen checking vehicle particulars were on illegal duty.”

It could not be immediately ascertained if the embattled police officer would be deployed in another formation or directed back to his command after a verbal reprimand by the police authorities.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Donald Awunah, did not respond to calls to his telephone and he had yet to reply to an SMS as of the time of filing this report.

The Head, Press and Public Relations, Police Service Commission, Ikechukwu Ani, said he couldn’t confirm the redeployment of the AIG, noting that he had not been briefed about it.