I still ride my personal cars, says Buhari’s wife

Wife of the President Mrs Aisha Buhari yesterday denied receiving two SUVs from Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris as alleged by Senator Isah Misau.

The senator reiterated the allegation on Wednesday when he appeared before the senate committee probing the brickbat between him and the police chief.

The senator also alleged that the IG doctored his age in his police record.

Hajia Buhari tweeted yesterday: “I still ride my personal cars.”

In another clarification Director of Information to Wife of the President, Suleiman Haruna, said in a statement: “Our attention has been drawn to the news being widely circulated and attributed to a member of the Senate that two SUVs from the Inspector General of Police were given to the Wife of the President Mrs. Aisha Muhammadu Buhari personally.

“The Wife of the President wants to make it clear that since the assumption of office of her husband as President of Nigeria, she did not receive these mentioned vehicles.

“Furthermore, the vehicles she is still using belong to the family and were the ones used during the campaign for 2015 elections including the one for her entourage.” it stated

The police also defended the integrity of the President’s wife, saying vehicles were given to assist the movement of the security detail posted to work with her.

Police Spokesman Jimoh Moshood, a Chief Superintend e said: “It is pertinent to state that at no time did the Wife of the President and Commander in Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mrs Aishat Buhari request directly or indirectly for vehicles for her use from the Inspector General of Police and no vehicle whether Jeep or SUV was ever given for her personal use.

“To set the record straight the Inspector General of Police is empowered by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended and the Police Act and Regulations, precisely Section 215 (1)(a&b) and (2) “The Nigeria Police Force shall be under the command of the Inspector General Police” and the Deployment and Control of the entire Operations of the Force, including allocation of Police vehicles for operational use throughout the country shall be under the purview of the IGP.

“It is within the powers of the Inspector General of Police as stated above that when on the 17th January, 2017, SP Sani M Baba –Inna, the ADC “Wife of the President” Federal Republic of Nigeria requested for two vehicles for Police Personnel in the convoy of Wife of the President for convoy movement and security purposes.

“Two Police Vehicles  (i) A Toyota Sienna Bus with Reg. No. NPF 2406D (ii) A Toyota Hiace Bus with Reg. No. NPF 3363D were approved by the Inspector General of Police to the ADC “Wife of the President” SP Sani M Baba –Inna for the purposes requested and not to the person of the Wife of the President or for her personal use as alleged by Misau.

“The Nigeria Police Force categorically wishes to state that all the allegations made by Misau against the Inspector General of Police and the wife of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria of buying two Jeeps for the wife of the Presidents as reported in some media are baseless, untrue and done in bad faith to misinform and mislead the public.”

On IGP’s retirement age, Moshood, while displaying the copy of the letter said: “For avoidance of doubt, the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters, Force Secretary Office wrote the Chairman, Police Service Commission on the 18th of January, 2017 drawing the attention of the Commission to the observation on the current Staff List of Senior Police Officers whereby the date of birth of the Inspector General of Police, IGP Idris,was incorrectly stated as 3/01/1959 instead of the actual date 15/01/1959.

“All documents and records of the IGP has 15/01/1959 as his date of birth except the staff list Senior Police Officers and this is the reason why the approval of the Honourable Chairman, Police Service Commission for correction of the error was sought in this regard.

“The difference of dates between 3/01/1959 and 15/01/1959 is just 12 days which is very insignificant in 35 years that a public servant can be in service”, he said

The police also noted that the Senator refused to answer to the allegation levelled against the IG.

Moshhod said: “The Public will note that Issa Hamma Misau deliberately refused to prove the allegations he previously levelled against the Inspector General of Police on the floor of the Senate for which he was invited by the Senate Ad-hoc Committee but instead brought up other falsehoods to distract the Committee and the members of the Public.

Senator Misau took to social media to “clarify” what she said: “For the avoidance of doubt, I did not make any allegations against the person of the highly revered wife of the President Aisha Muhammadu Buhari.

“In addressing the committee, my comments referenced court documents filed in charge CR/345/17 against me at the Federal High Court by IGP Idris.

“IGP Idris leaked correspondence with Muhammadu Buhari, Chief of Staff (COS), Director National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), ADC, Aisha Buhari and Chief Principal Staff Officer (CPSO) of the President to the public in documents filed at the Federal High Court.

“Shocked to find documents and minutes of the President and top government officials carelessly paraded in public by the IGP in clear breach of official secrecy, I query the motive behind such indiscretion given that the said documents have little or no bearing on the matter of malpractice.

“My submission to the committee was simply to call attention to how IGP Idris is unethically dropping named by filing secret documents in court.

“Again, I make it abundantly clear: IGP Idris submitted official documents mentioning names of respected personalities. Not me.

“I urge the press and public to be wary of any attempt to obfuscate the issues. Indeed, eternal vigilance is the price for freedom.”