Stop misleading the public, police warn Saraki

The police have accused Senate President Bukola Saraki of peddling falsehood, asking the public to disregard his claims. This foll...

The police have accused Senate President Bukola Saraki of peddling falsehood, asking the public to disregard his claims.

This follows Saraki's claim that his life is under threat and that the police had not made efforts to protect him.

At a press conference in Abuja, Saraki alleged that suspected thugs working for the All Progressives Congress (APC) invaded his family compound in Kwara state and destroyed a lot of things.

He said some policemen provided cover for the suspects while the attack lasted.

But reacting in a statement, Jimoh Moshood, force spokesman, denied the allegations. He said the senate president had not lodged complaint to the police as of the time he held the press conference.

Moshood said the force would not be distracted and would remain neutral.

"The Nigeria Police Force did not give any protection to any political thug or shield any APC thug to go to family quarters of the Senate President in Agbaji, Ilorin and vandalize houses, shops and inflict wounds with machete on three people as claimed by the Senate President," he said.

"The Police did not receive any complaint or report of gunshot and wounding as claimed by the Senate President in other areas he mentioned such as Adewole/Adeta, Ile-otan and ubandawaki/pakata.

"For avoidance of doubt, there was no complaint reported at any Police division within Ilorin metropolis or any other Police Division on the 10th January, 2019 till today 11th January 2019 of any attack, wounding, shooting and destruction of any property by any individual(s) or any political party on their members.

"However, Security within Ilorin metropolis and other locations in kwara State has been beefed-up to ensure security of all Nigerians living in the State.

"It is pertinent to state that all Police personnel attached to the person of the Senate President, his office and family are intact and all the statutory security protection on the person of the Senate President are also accorded him all the time and there was no complaint from the Senate President before now to the Police on this.

"It is incumbent on the Force to set the record straight and correct the wrong impressions that must have been created in the minds of the general Public and the International Community from the misinformation and misleading account from the Senate President.

"The Inspector General of Police did not try any trick to implicate the Senate President in some criminal charges; the facts are in the public domain about the suspects of the Offa Bank Robbery now being prosecuted who implicated the Senate President in the matter.

"The Nigeria Police Force is hereby assuring all Nigerians that the Nigeria Police Force has no any undisguised hostility to the Senate President or his supporters in Kwara State or to jeopardise or undermine his personal security and that of his immediate and larger family."