A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have demanded the removal and prosecution of Ibrahim Idris, Inspector General of Police (IGP), over allegations of corruption and having affairs with junior officers levelled against him by Senator Isa Misau.

Making the demand at a press conference held in Abuja on Sunday, the group under the aegis of Coalition of Civil Society Groups for Integrity and Justice (CCSGIJ), also requested the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, to impress it on President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure the IGP is removed mandatorily within the next five days.

The coalition comprised of Lawyers Integrity Crusade Network (LICN), National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), National Youth Democratic Congress (NYDC) and other civil society organisations.

According to the group, it is a big disservice to the country if the allegations against the IGP will be treated with kid gloves as it insisted that the allegations standing against the police boss were overwhelming, adding that it was high time he exited the force to salvage the image of the police.

IGP Ibrahim Idris had come under intense criticism lately owing to avalanche of allegations levelled against him by the senator representing Bauchi Central, Isah Hamma Misau.

Misau alleged that the Inspector General of Police was engaging in promotion racketeering and taking bribe as much as N15 million before posting commissioners of police and state mobile police commanders.

He said the police boss allegedly received N10 billion monthly from oil companies and other private individuals who enjoy special protection from the security agency.

The police boss was also accused of having illicit affairs with female officers and arranging secret marriage with one ASP Amina whom he allegedly promoted over her superiors as a reward for her illicit relationship with him.

The said woman is said to be pregnant for the IGP and that he has conducted a secret marriage with her.

The coalition said, “Mr. Idris has lost integrity and the moral standing to lead the Nigeria Police Force”, while calling for his removal from office.

The group also insisted that the government must ensure the embattled police boss is removed from office in the next five days.

“That the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice performs his duties creditably by advising President Muhammadu Buhari to remove IGP Idris from office within five working days, from Monday (today),” the group said.

The coalition also frowned at the continuous sealing off of the national headquarters of the Peace Corps of Nigeria, since the arrest of some national officers of the corps on February 28, 2017.

According to the group, the Peace Corps office was sealed off by the police for nine months running, based on mere allegations, adding that the force has no moral ground to clamp down on youths based organisation such as Peace Corps of Nigeria.

“We fear that, the posture taken by IGP Idris against the Peace Corps of Nigeria and its leaders, if not checked, is capable of leading to a chaotic situation where the overwhelming population of Nigerian youths who are benefiting from the corps could take the law into their own hands to obtain justice”, the group noted.

The group, therefore, called on the police boss to order the immediate reopening of the Peace Corps office and cease forthwith “the needless harassment of its officers across the country”.

Should IGP Idris remain in office in the next five days, the group threatened to occupy the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, with the whole might of the Nigerian youths and civil society organisations. (Independent)

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