Ex-IGP Arase writes IGP Idris: I inherited a debt of N28billion from ex-IGP’s & 22 hijacked vehicles but refused pressure to embarrass Nigeria Police Force.

Ex-Inspector General of Police, Dr. Solomon Ehigiator Arase has disclosed that he inherited a huge debt profile of N28billion from his predecessor, Suleiman Abba even as both Abba and MD Abubakar before him both went home with 22 different brands of Police vehicles, which he did not bother about.

Arase who is still miffed by the fact that his successor gave in to pressure and attempted to malign his name after the numerous legacies he left for the Nigerian Police force, noted that he decided to move on despite the fact the huge debt profile limited the financial base of the force at the time.

Recall that following Arase’s retirement from the Police force, the successor administration initiated several investigative panels into policies which had earlier taken the police force to new heights. They also alleged he took home 24 vehicles.

Throughout his tenure Arase never made mentioned or referred to the activities or the tenures of either Suleiman Abba or Mohammed Dahiru Abubakar.  

While urging IGP Idris, to follow protocols and laid down procedure, Arase advised his successor to avoid engaging in acts that could bring any past occupant of that office to public ridicule.

In a letter he wrote to Idris dated December 1, 2016, Arase emphasized that despite obvious discrepancies which he met on assumption of office, he ensured that ‘Force Order 295’ was put in place to protect ex-IGs from being demeaned.

Arase, who retired as police IG in June, said it was in the spirit of this order that he desisted from ridiculing the last two IGs before him even though he knew that they each went away with 13 and nine police vehicles respectively when leaving office.

Recall that the former IG had earlier dismissed his successor’s allegations that he left with two dozens of vehicles while leaving office, wondering what he would do with such number of vehicles.

Arase’s letter reads, “I expect that former occupants of the office of the Inspector-General of Police should not be demeaned. This explains why Force Order 295 was emplaced by the force management under my leadership as acknowledged in your letter in reference.

“In spite of the emplacement of this order and despite the fact that my two immediate predecessors left office with 13 and nine vehicles of different makes and models respectively, I never pressurized either of them to return any of such vehicles neither did I engage in any act that was capable of bringing them to ridicule as being done to me of late by a force I dedicated my life to serving up to the highest level.

“Rather, it is on record that I went the extra mile to source for funds and initiated actions towards purchasing a brand new bulletproof jeep for my immediate predecessor, even after his retirement from service.

“This was done notwithstanding the fact that I inherited and had to manage a huge debt profile of about N28bn, which limited the financial base of the force at the time.”

Among the 13 vehicles, which Arase said Abubakar took away were a BMW (7 series) bulletproof car; and two Toyota Land Cruiser V8 bulletproof jeeps.

He said, Abba took away a Toyota Land Cruiser bulletproof jeep and a Toyota Land Cruiser Prado jeep along with seven other vehicles.

The former IGP said God had blessed him and he was contended to the point that he would willingly surrender “all my vehicular entitlements even as contained in the Revised Force Order 295 in the overriding interest of the force and in the sustenance of the legacy of comradeship between an incumbent IGP and his predecessor.”

He said he decided to delay in returning some vehicles, which Idris alleged he took away, as a form of protest against the “unfair, untidy and demeaning approach the matter was handled until now.”

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