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News Articles

Disturbing signals from the Office of Inspector General of Nigeria Police Force

  • I am PA to the IG, and not PA to you", roared Onovo’s aide

Africans In America News Watch
Special Report; September 23, 2009

 

Mr. Ogbonnaya Onovo, OON, NPM, mni
The Inspector-General of Nigeria Police Force

New York, USA --- On August 19, 2009 our Executive Director and Publisher sent a petition to Inspector General (IG) of Nigeria Police Force, Mr. Ogbonnaya Onovo regarding a police detective from Anambra State Police Command’s State C.I.D. caught on tape demanding bribe in order to properly investigate a case of fraudulent impersonation, threat to life, violent destruction of properties, threats to kidnap, etc.

For refusal to oblige the bribe request, the detective started mishandling the investigation, among other misconducts, and by so doing the brie-seeking policeman empowers the crime syndicate and put the cooperating victims and witnesses in jeopardy.

After about a week and some days our Executive Director/Publisher contacted the Personal Assistance (P.A.) to the IG, one Enyinna who advised that someone be delegated in Nigeria to be visiting the IG's office at Abuja, Nigeria to follow-up on the petition, or, our Executive Director/Publisher will be calling from time to time to do the follow-up himself from United States.

Our ED/Publisher called few days after and the PA stated that the Inspector General had read the petition and had promptly requested for the tape to be sent to him. That was done expeditiously on September 3, 2009 by FedEx. The parcel containing the 2 tapes were confirmed received at IG's office on September 8, 2009 at 1.03 pm, signed by O. Nalo.

On September 8, 2009 our ED/Publisher contacted the Personal Assistance (P.A.) to the IG, and he confirmed receipt of the 2 tapes and advised our ED/Publisher to call him in a week's time on September 15, 2009 to get IG's feedback after listening to the tape.

Our ED/Publisher called the P. A. to the IG of Police on the scheduled day, September 15, 2009. Initially someone picked the phone and when our ED/Publisher introduced himself, the phone went off.

Believing it was part of network problem which is very common in telephone calls to Nigeria, our ED/Publisher called about 2 to 3 times and got the same response. After about 1 to 2 hours he called again and the PA answered and roared, "Who are you to keep calling me when I was on the highway? I will never talk to you anymore", and hung up. Since then the P.A. to the IG refused to take our ED/Publisher's calls.

On another try today September 23, 2009, immediately the PA to the IG picked the telephone he told our ED/Publisher, "You have to send someone to follow-up on your petition in my office. I will never talk to you on the telephone anymore. I am PA to the IG, and not PA to you", then rudely and quickly hung-up.

We do not know at this moment the reason for the sudden and strange hostile attitude of Onovo’s PA, but, we believe that this hostile attitude developed after listening to the 2 tapes.

However, we know where the bribe-seeking detective comes from, just as we know where the IG and the P.A. (who is also in-law to the IG, according to information) come from, and we hope this does not explain the reason for this hostile attitude by the IG’s PA.

We hope that Inspector General Ogbonnaya Onovo and his staffs are serious with Nigeria government effort on corruption. We hope that Inspector General Ogbonnaya Onovo and his staffs show in their attitude to cooperating victims and witnesses that Onovo’s tenure as Police IG will be serious in addressing corruption in the force and corruption in the society in general.

And again, we are watching and waiting, and if the office Police IG (Onovo) goofs in investigating this petition regarding a police detective from Anambra State Police Command’s State C.I.D. caught on tape demanding bribe in order to properly investigate a case of fraudulent impersonation, threat to life, violent destruction of properties, threats to kidnap, etc., whoever is responsible will be held accountable.

Meanwhile this is a disturbing signal coming from the office of Inspector General of Nigeria Police Force, Mr. Ogbonnaya Onovo who is the nation’s chief law enforcement officer.