OUTGOING Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro, has threatened to sue the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) and its Managing Director, Ganiyu Ogunleye, for defaming him and bringing his name to ridicule. Okiro, who was reacting to the NDIC claims that he was owing the liquidated Lead Bank Ltd N166 million, during a question and answer session with newsmen, said that he was not owing the bank any kobo, rather it was the bank that was owing his wife’s company.

The IGP wondered where the NDIC got the list that contained his name, when it was only four names that featured on the debtors of Lead Bank in liquidation that was read on the floor of the Senate on 24 June, 2009, and his name was not there.

Giving the details of the transactions between his wife and Lead Bank, Okiro said that in 2000, Nigeria Agip Oil Company gave his wife a contract of $2.4 million, and his wife sourced for a loan of N100 million from Lead Bank to execute the contract.

He disclosed that after sometime, Lead Bank had a very serious problem with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), which led to their being banned from foreign exchange transactions.

According to Mr. Okiro, Lead Bank opened an account with National Bank, from where they were collecting all the money paid to Hekiro Ltd, without his wife’s knowledge.

The IGP said that in 2007, when it was published that NDIC was to pay all creditors of the liquidated banks, his wife wrote to them, so that they could reconcile the accounts and pay her the balance, but there was no response from the NDIC.

He revealed that from the documents collected from Agip Oil Company by his wife, they had paid $2 million, which Lead Bank collected without remitting any amount to Hekiro Limited.

Okiro wondered who should be owing whom, even when his wife’s company was liquidated because of the alleged fraudulent activities of Lead Bank.

The IGP noted that he was going to seek redress in court, and claim damages from the NDIC, for the alleged embarrassment they had caused him.

He challenged NDIC to produce the original document, which was presented to the Senate, which listed the names of those owing the liquidated banks.

Meanwhile, the 13th indigenous Inspector General of Police, will, today, bow out as he attains the mandatory retirement age of 60 years.

The Federal Government, however, has appointed Ogbonna Onovo as his successor.

Addressing the DIGs, AIGs, CPs in his 12-page valedictory speech at the Force Headquarters, Thursday, Okiro noted that the last conference presented him the opportunity to recap the events of the last two years, as well as assess and profile the modest achievements of his leadership.

“It is for me, a time to say thank you and appreciate the management team and all senior officers for their tremendous support without which this administration would not have performed.”

While thanking President Umaru Yar’Adua for approving the implementation of the consolidated police salary structure for officers and men, Okiro stated that this was responsible for the many exploits of the police in the early part of his administration.

According to him, the “President is God-sent for the country as his commitment to the needs of the Nigeria Police towards providing adequate security in this country is unparalleled and that the good Lord will continue to guide and strengthen him in his arduous task of providing quality leadership for our dear country.”

President Umaru Yar’Adua has appointed DIG Ogbonaya Onovo as the acting Inspector General of Police, pending his confirmation by the appropriate authorities.

The appointment of Mr. Onovo, according to a press statement signed by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, is in accordance with the powers vested on the president by Section 216 of the Nigerian Constitution.

Mr. Onovo’s appointment takes effect from today, July 24, 2009. Onovo takes over from Mr. Mike Okiro who is proceeding on retirement, also today

Born in Enugu, Enugu State, on February 7, 1953, Mr. Onovo graduated from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 1976 with a Bsc. degree in Political Science and began his career as an Assistant Superintendent of Police on August 1, 1977.

He rose through the ranks to become a Deputy Inspector General of Police on March 14, 2002, and had held several career positions in the Police.

Sam Milla:

“President is God-sent for the country as his commitment to the needs of the Nigeria Police towards providing adequate security in this country is unparalleled and that the good Lord will continue to guide and strengthen him in his arduous task of providing quality leadership for our dear country.”

Umuru is gods sent to give us;
-darkness,
-ASUU strike,
-high rate of crime,
-high speed corruption access,
-thiefry in high places.

What do u expect,a servant will always sing d praise of his oga.