The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Edgal Imohimi, has affirmed his loyalty to Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, who was on Wednesday declared unfit to hold public office by the Nigerian Senate.
Mr Imohimi’s declaration of loyalty is contained in a statement released on Thursday by Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Chike Oti.
The Lagos police boss said on behalf of officers and men of the command, he “wishes to reassure the Inspector-General of Police of the absolute loyalty and commitment of the command to duty.”
Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, had in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday described it as deliberate blackmail, witch-hunting, unfortunate and mischievous.
Adding to that Mr Oti’s statement said Imohimi “notes that the command owes the successes recorded in the fight against crime and criminality in the state to the clear-cut policy objective and directives of the IGP.
“Worthy of mention is the community policing objective of the present police administration which is the fulcrum on which all crime-fighting strategies of the command, and indeed the entire Nigeria Police, revolves.
“The command has explicit confidence in the IGP and in what he is doing for the country in the war against crime and in his quest to restore the police to its pride of place as the number one crime fighting organisation in the country.
“The IGP, Ibrahim K. Idris, a lawyer by training, is a firm believer in the rule of law and will never do anything to disrespect the law he swore to protect.
“In the words of the IGP, the police derives its powers from the constitution and therefore must be obedient to law and order.
“Since his assumption of office, the IGP has helped in no small measure, the institution of peace in the country, improvement in the welfare and standard of living of officers and men of the police and smooth running of the Force through his directives contained in the Force Order and Force Administrative Instructions.
“The CP, therefore, calls on Nigerians to support the Inspector General of Police in the onerous task of policing the nation and the restoration of peace, law and order in the country.”
