Inspector General of Police,
Ibrahim Idris
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Ibrahim Idris, has
came down hard on members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN),
otherwise known as Shi’ites, describing their conduct as “not
Islamic”.
This was as the IGP announced that 10, 000 illegal firearms, and
26,000 ammunition recovered during mop-up operations, will be
destroyed before the 2019 general elections.
The IGP, while urging the public to, henceforth, refer to the
protesters as “El-Zakzaky group”, warned that all legitimate
strategies will be adopted, to ensure threats to security were
contained.
Idris, who spoke at a meeting with senior police officers at the
Force Headquarters in Abuja, maintained that no death had been
recorded from the Police’s clash with the IVM members, owing to the
minimum force strategy so far adopted.
“Over 400 of these (Shiite members) have been arrested. In fact,
they should call them El-Zakzaky group. I don’t think there is
anything Islamic about most of these people; nothing Islamic.
“These are people that have planned to bring problem of security
all over. The strategy adopted by the Police, thatun is the best
approach. I think it is something that is commendable”, Idris
said.
The police chief, who commended the disposition of his officers
and personnel in dealing with the challenge, said regardless of
their perceived excesses, the Shi’ites were still countrymen and
women.
His words: “Weve had any lose of life within the Police. I
thWhat we do is that, where you have a lot of violent response, we
use smoke? I think that’s the maximum we use. And I think, so far,
Most of them that constituted themselves a security to the general
well-being of the country, were arrested.
“And, I think the response of the police has to be measured;
very important.Like I said, these are also Nigerians.we have to
employ every method, to make sure we bring their threats under the
barest minimum. And, I think that we have done.
“And, like I said, for the past two or three days, they are
taking them to court. It is not something the police can handle
alone…”
It will be recalled that clashes between soldiers and IMN’s
members in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), had resulted in the
death of many of the protesters, even as some troops sustained
varying degrees of injuries.
Meanwhile, a committee set up to recover illegally-acquired
firearms across the country, is set to destroy a total of 10, 000
of the items.
Also, 26, 000 ammunition and other prohibited weapons moped-up
during the operations, will be destroyed.
The IGP, who made the disclosure, said: “I have set up a
committee headed by the Deputy Inspector General of Police,
Department of Operations, comprising the United anatiins organs,
ECOWAS and the Presidential Committee in the Prohibition of Small
Arms and Light Weapons (PRESCOM) and other critical stakeholders
for the destruction before the 2019 elections of about 10, 000
illegal arms and prohibited weapons and above 26, 000 illegal
ammunition recovered in the mop up operations of illegal firearms
and prohibited weapons currently ongoing throughout the
country”.
In a related development, Idris said the Force had ensured that
political parties held their primaries under an atmosphere of
peace.
He, has, therefore, charged officers and policemen to ensure
that the feat was replicated during the 2019 general elections.
Highlight of the conference, was the decoration of three
newly-promoted DIGs, and three Assistant IInspectors-General (AIGs)
of Police.