By Evelyn Usman & Ifeanyi Okolie
LAGOS — President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, directed the Department of State Security, DSS, to investigate Wednesday’s clash between the Police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, in Ikorodu area of Lagos, which resulted in the death of two NSCDC personnel.
Jonathan also summoned authorities of the Nigeria Police Force, NPF, over the clash. It was gathered that Jonathan asked an independent body to investigate the cause of the of clash between the Federal Government’s agencies, following accusation and counter accusation on which party actually pulled the trigger that killed the NSCDC staff.
It was learnt also that the president met behind closed doors for about an hour with a police delegation led by the DIG ‘A’ Division, Suleiman Fakai at the Presidential Villa.
Other members of the police delegation were the Commissioner of Police in Lagos, Umar Manko; ACP in-charge of Anti-Vandalism, Friday Ibadin and the Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba. The Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Mr Muhammed Abubakar, is said to be currently out of the country.
The president had met, Wednesday evening, with the leadership of the NSCDC, led by the Commandant-General, Dr Ade Abolurin.
Mba told State House correspondents shortly after the meeting that the clash formed part of the issues discussed with the president, adding that the police used the opportunity of the meeting to give the president “the police perspective of the report.”
However, while the NSCDC maintained that the police killed their men, an action that resulted ina reprisal attack by its personnel, the police debunked the claim, saying the former was responsible for the shooing.
Vanguard learnt that during the interrogation of Inspector Sunday Gabriel and three other policemen, including the NSCDC personnel picked from the scene of the incident, by Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Umar Manko, the NSCDC officer, identified as Gbedogun Olarewaju debunked the claim that they were ambushed.
Rather, he was said to have explained to Manko that “we went to the area to raid at midnight in two Hilux cars. We arrested eight vandals and exhibits and put them in our vehicles. We did notshoot or attempt to shoot. As we were going, wesaw a Toyota Camry car coming and our men stopped to know who were inside because it was not a patrol vehicle. A man (Inspector Sunday) came out first with a pistol.
“He was not wearing uniform. Then, the Sergeant came with a loaded double barrel. The man in mufti asked my boss, DSC Olufemi, who he was and my boss said he had no right to ask him that question since he saw him in his uniform.”
During the argument, Olarewaju reportedly said Inspector Sunday pushed his boss.
“My boss then ordered us to arrest the man, that he would like to know him better since he was not wearing uniform. In the process, we tried to handcuff and move him into the car. But before we knew what was happening, we saw some Mobile policemen who started shooting,” Olarewaju was quoted to have said.
Asked at what point his colleagues bodies were found on the ground, Olarewaju reportedly said, “I was in the car with the Inspector then. I was only informed on the telephone by my boss that two of our men were dead.”
On his part, Inspector Gabriel who was clad in a blue Jean’s jacket and brown trousers, reportedly told the investigative team that he identified himself as an Inspector attached to the Inspector-General of Police Special Squad on Anti-Pipeline vandalism.
He was quoted thus: “ the next thing I saw was that they started beating me and handcuffed me.”
Meanwhile, the NSCDC has allayed fears that their man in police custody could be forced to make statements




http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/03/policenscdc-clash-jonathan-directs-dss-to-take-over-investigation/

I honestly think the DSS are the only agency we can run to now walahi talahi!

From the rank of DCP to the IGP shuld be flushed down the suck-away! and Replace the head with another person from a disciplined agency or even the military before sanity can be restored to the NPF. Bunch of dumb buffons!

Hmmmm, Naija police ......!!!

I don't trust the Nigeria police on this one....they look like the aggressor here and trying to cover their track...

ilugunboy: I don't trust the Nigeria police on this one....they look like the aggressor here and trying to cover their track...

true talk! can anything good come out of The Nigeria Police Force? I dont think so.

No one can tell us that Police Ambush against NSCDC is not for pecuniary gain of the team involved.What is Police interest in NNPC oil pipelines vandalization, which is a direct mandate of NSCDC? Knowing that NSCDC is not armed, they went there with their usual intimidation, and triger happiness.Police extra judicial killings is too much, and must be curbed. Their failure has forced the army into civilian security matters.They fight every other Law enforcement Arms od government, they are too rough and ready to kill! Gun carrying officers must. Be well trained and mentally balanced persons.NSCDC is loved by Nigerians, they are fine officers and cleaner than the Police. We need to have them protected and helped.Army and NSCDC should work together for now untill the former becomes fully armed.The Police ambush team must be tried for Murder, irrespective of their reported extraction of forced confession from some persons.Our Police needs to know that times have changed.We want a clean Police Force, not killers, intimidators, arresters and detainers!

The Job of the Current Nig.Police is currently being done by the DSS and soldiers cos they cannot measure up... So wats d point wasting tax payers money on these crop of inefficiency and dormancy? This IG seem like the worst so far...cos i hav not heard of him enforcing any disciplinary measure on erring officers instead he is campaigning for more cash. Smh.

ilugunboy: I don't trust the Nigeria police on this one....they look like the aggressor here and trying to cover their track...

Thats their trade craft! Aggressor & covering of tracks! And they aint even good at it...Can u imagine??

Bad Attitude: From the rank of DCP to the IGP shuld be flushed down the suck-away! and Replace the head with another person from a disciplined agency or even the military before sanity can be restored to the NPF. Bunch of dumb buffons!

@Bad Attitude... Not a bad idea cos anything to remedy the present state of decay in the police wuld be highly embraced esp if i was in a position to make dat decision....Na Military Police i go use sef.

The Nigerian Police is a failed institution...something needs to be urgently done b4 it spreads to the other components of the society like a bad egg or a nauseating fart!

I can convincingly say we don't have a police force in naija, if the NPF can go this far to kill a sister agency operatives, the civil populace should therefore be extremely careful and wary of the police because they wouldn't mind to waste lives and let blood shed over slightest confrontation or argument or even when challenge for asking/demanding bribe.

I just hope the DSS will be impartial against the police ...having at the back of our minds their recent altercation with the police authority over the issues surrounding the death of the SA to the Edo State governor.