I didn't take 24 police vehicles, says Arase

The immediate past Inspector-General-of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, yesterday, swiftly responded to his successor’s accusation, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, that he carted away 24 vehicles, belonging to the Nigeria Police Force, to his home, instead of four.

According to him, Idris should cross check his handover notes, which contains information on vehicles bought by the police.

Idris on Sunday said that Arase went away with 24 cars, while his management team, also left with cars that were supposed to have been left behind.

Idris said: “A letter to that effect has been sent to the Arase, who left with 24 cars. The DIGs also left with cars they weren't supposed to. A week before I was announced, when you look through my office window, you could see so many cars. But the cars all disappeared when I came in. What I did was to assign a directive to the Special Investigative Unit (SFU) for them to investigate all vehicles' purchases and donations to the police in the last three years as well as their positions.

"When I took over, there were no vehicles. I discovered that the last IG went away with 24 vehicles, including two BMWs. The DIGs, some took seven, others eight. And they left me with an old vehicle. Even the one I followed the President with, the last time I went for an engagement, the President asked what I was doing with that kind of vehicle. The headlight has changed colour, which means it was parked for long under the rain.”

Arase, in a statement issued, from London, United Kingdom, United Kingdom, where he went for his son's graduation, denied receiving any letter from Idris.

According to him, all vehicles bought by the police under him were distributed to the state commands and other appropriate units of the Nigeria Police Force. 

The statement further states: "I suspect there must be a disconnection somewhere because information needed by my successor is provided in my hand-over notes. I'm also not aware that any letter was written to me. If there was any dropped at my house, someone would have alerted me.  It's unfortunate that this matter is being made a media issue because my successor has my telephone number and could have called me for any clarification or even sent me a text, rather than addressing the media on an issue well documented in my hand-over notes."